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. 







Sally and Lieutenant Fleury were Walking 
Side by Side Away from the Farm House. 


THE 

CAMP FIRE GIRLS 

ON THE 

FIELD OF HONOR 


BY 

MARGARET VANDERCOOK 

»/ 

Author of ‘The Ranch Girls Series,” etc. 


ILLUSTRATED 


PHILADELPHIA 

THE JOHN C. WINSTON CO. 


PUBLISHERS 


. * 


ls> 7 

r 


Copyright, 1918, by 

The John C. Winston Company 


stories about camp fire girls 

List of Titles in the Order of their Publication 

The Camp Fire Girls at Sunrise Hill 

The Camp Fire Girls Amid the Snows 

The Camp Fire Girls in the Outside World 

The Camp Fire Girls Across the Sea 

The Camp Fire Girls’ Careers 

The Camp Fire Glria in After Years 

The Camp Fire Girls at the Edge of the Desert 

The Camp Fire Girls at the End of the Trail 

The Camp Fire Girls Behind the Lines 

The Camp Fire Girls on the Field of Honor 



JAN 24 1919 

©Cl. A 5 I 2150 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAGE 

I. An Old House 7 

II. Explanations 24 

III. “A Long Time Going Over 

There” 39 

IY. Chaperoning the Chap- 
eron 47 

V. The Confession 66 

VI. A French Farm House on 

the Field of Honor. ... 78 

VII. Becoming Adjusted 98 

VIII. The Old Chateau 113 

IX. A Mystery 126 

X. Breakers Ahead 138 

XI. The Return 154 

XII. Other Days and Other 

Ways 165 

XIII. A Departure and an Arri- 

val 176 

XIV. A Warning 193 

XV. The Discovery 205 

XVI. An Unexpected Shelter.. 223 

XVII. Two Officers 233 

XVIII. The Expected Happens. . . 254 

XIX. The Field of Honor 263 

( 5 ) 


LIST OP ILLUSTRATIONS 

Sally and Lieutenant Pleuby were 
Walking Side By Side away from 
the Farm House. . . . .Frontispiece 


Have You Nothing Better to do 

than Steal? 14 

The Figure Was that of a Young 

Soldier 122 

She and Old Jean Took an En- 
tirely Opposite Direction 206 


<«) 


The Camp Fire Girls on the 
Field of Honor 


CHAPTER I 
An Old House 

T HERE are certain old houses in 
New York City built of rose-col- 
ored brick and white stone which 
face Washington Square. 

On this morning in early winter a light 
snow covered the ground and clung to the 
bare branches of the shrubs and trees. 

In a drawing-room of one of the old 
houses a young girl was moving quietly 
about at work. She was alone and the 
room was almost entirely dismantled, the 
pictures having been taken down from the 
walls, the decorations stored away and the 
furniture protected by linen covers. 

The girl herself was wearing an odd 
costume, a long frock made like a 
( 7 ) 


8 


THE FIELD OF HONOR 


peasant’s smock with an insignia of two 
crossed logs and a flame embroidered upon 
one sleeve. With her dark eyes, her dark, 
rather coarse hair, which she wore parted 
in the middle over a low forehead, and her 
white, unusually colorless skin, she sug- 
gested a foreigner. Nevertheless, al- 
though her mother and father were born 
in Russia, Vera Lagerloff was not a for- 
eigner. However, at this moment she was 
talking quietly to herself in a foreign ton- 
gue, yet the language she was making an 
attempt to practice was French and not 
Russian. Since the entry of the United 
States into the world war, New York City 
[had been exchanging peoples as well as 
material supplies with her Allies to so 
large an extent that one language was no , 
longer sufficient even for the requirements 
of one’s own country. 

Finally, still reciting her broken sen- 
tences almost as if she were rehearsing a 
part in a play, Vera walked over to a front 
window and stood gazing expectantly out 
into the Square as if she were looking for 
some one. 

It was about three o’clock in the after- 


AN OLD HOUSE 


9 


noon and the neighborhood was almost 
deserted. In the paths beyond the Wash- 
ington Arch a few children were playing. 
Now and then an occasional man or woman 
passed along the street, to vanish into a 
house or apartment building. 

A few taxis and private cars rolled by, 
but not one made even a pretence of stop- 
ping before the rose-colored brick house. 

After about five minutes of waiting, 
sighing and then, smiling at her own 
folly, the girl turned away and began 
slowly to climb up the old colonial stairs 
leading to the second floor. 

“When will human beings cease de- 
manding the impossible V 9 she asked of 
herself, yet speaking aloud. “I know that 
Mrs. Burton and Bettina cannot arrive 
for another half hour, nevertheless I am 
wasting both time and energy watching 
for their appearance.’ ’ 

During the past month Yera LagerlofE 
had been the guest of Mrs. Richard Burton 
in her New York home. Together they 
had been closing the house for an indefinite 
period and making their final arrange- 
ments for sailing for France. Within a 


10 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


few days the American Sunrise Camp 
Fire unit, with Mrs. Burton as their 
guardian, was to set sail to help with the 
work of reclamation in the devastated area 
of France and also to establish the first 
group of Camp Fire girls ever recognized 
upon French soil. 

Since their summer “Behind the Lines’^ 
in southern California, Vera had been 
studying with these two purposes in mind. 

In the front of the house on the second 
floor Mrs. Burton’s private sitting-room 
was to be left undisturbed until the day of 
her departure, and it was toward this 
room Vera was making her way. 

Except for the two servants, man and 
wife, engaged only a short time before, 
who were presumably busy downstairs, 
she supposed herself alone. 

Now as she approached the sitting- 
room, through the open door she caught 
sight of the blue and silver of the walls, 
a pair of old blue curtains and a tea-table 
decorated with a tea-service and a blue 
bowl of yellow jonquils. Then an un- 
looked-for sensation made the girl pause 
within a few feet on the far side of the 


AN OLD HOUSE 


11 


threshold, almost holding her breath, for 
she had the extraordinary impression that 
the room she had presumed empty was al- 
ready occupied. 

The next instant Vera discovered that a 
man was standing in front of a small 
mahogany desk endeavoring to break into 
a locked drawer. He had not heard her 
approach, for he did not turn toward her, 
nevertheless she immediately recognized 
the man and the situation. The day be- 
fore, in order to meet the expenses of the 
journey to France, Mrs. Burton had drawn 
a large sum of money from bank, placing 
it in her desk for safe keeping. To the 
members of her own household she had 
made no secret of this, and now one of 
them was taking advantage of his knowl- 
edge. 

Vera recognized that she must think 
and act quickly, or it might be possible 
that all their hopes and plans for service 
in France would vanish in one tragic 
instant. 

In the bedroom in the rear of the hall 
she knew there was a telephone. Yet the 
moments occupied in having the telephone 


12 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


answered and in calling the police seemed 
interminable. In far less time surely the 
thief must have accomplished his design! 

Yet naturally after her call had been 
answered Yera knew she must return to 
make sure and equally naturally she 
feared to face the man were he still up- 
stairs. 

In the right hand comer of Mrs. Bur- 
ton’s dressing table was a silver mounted 
pistol. This had been Captain Burton’s 
parting gift to his wife before his own 
departure for Europe a few weeks before. 
V era distinctly remembered her own and 
Mrs. Burton’s nervousness over the gift 
and Captain Burton’s annoyance. They 
were about to make their home in a de- 
vastated country recently occupied by the 
enemy and yet were afraid of so simple a 
method of self -protection ! Yera had 
shared in Captain Burton’s lecture and in 
his instructions. 

Moreover, ordinarily she was not timid, 
but instead possessed a singular feminine 
courage. So an instant later, holding the 
small pistol partly concealed by her skirt, 
Yera slipped noiselessly back again into 


AJST OLD HOUSE 


13 


the hall, moving along in the shadow near 
the wall. Within a few feet of the sitting- 
room suddenly the thief appeared in the 
doorway. The next instant, startled by 
her appearance, he made a headlong rush 
down the stairs with his purpose too 
nearly accomplished to think of surrender. 

Ais Yera followed she wondered if, 
when the thief reached the front door, 
where he must pause in opening it, would 
she then have the courage to fire ? Much 
as she desired to secure the stolen money, 
she felt the instinctive feminine dislike of 
wounding another human being. 

Yet now she discovered that, in spite of 
having failed to notice the fact on her way 
upstairs, the front door was not locked. 
It had been purposely left slightly ajar so 
that there need be no dangerous delay. 

But before the thief actually reached 
the front door majestically it was flung 
open. From the outside a voice called 
“Halt.” 

Immediately after, instead of a police- 
man as she anticipated, Yera beheld one 
of the most singular figures she had ever 
seen. For the moment, in her excitement 



a 


Have You Nothing Better to do than Steal?" 


(M) 




AN OLD HOUSE 


15 


and confusion, she could not tell whether 
the figure was a woman’s or a man’s. A 
long arm was thrust forward, then, such 
was the thief’s surprise, that he allowed 
the stolen pocketbook to be removed from 
his grasp without opposition. 

As Vera regained sufficient equanimity 
to cover him with her pistol she heard a 
rich Irish voice unmistakably a woman’s, 
saying: 

“Sure, man alive and have you nothing 
better to do than steal when the world is 
so hard put for honest soldiers and work- 
men to carry on her affairs. Now get you 
away and pray the saints to forgive you, 
for the next time you’ll not be let off so 
easily.” 

Glad to take the newcomer at her word, 
the man vanished. Then before Vera 
could either move or speak, the surprising 
visitor marched up to her. 

“Put that pistol away, child, and never 
handle it again, or you will injure yourself ! 
Now take me upstairs to Polly Burton’s 
sitting-room and make me some tea, for the 
plain truth is I am famished. I have just 
arrived in New York from Boston, and 


16 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


travel in war times certainly has its draw- 
backs. But if you will wait I ’ll first bring 
my suitcase inside the hall until we feel 
more like carrying it upstairs.” 

Before Vera could offer her assistance a 
shabby suitcase was brought indoors. 

Immediately after she found herself, not] 
leading the way, but following the un-* 
expected intruder to the second floor. Evi- j 
dently the elderly woman was familiar 
with the house, for she made her way 
directly to the sitting-room and, seating 
herself upon the divan, began untying her 
bonnet strings. 

In spite of her own confusion and ex- 
citement and the visitor’s surprising ap- 
pearance, Vera believed herself in the 
presence of an important personage. She 
understood this, notwithstanding the fact 
that the woman’s costume was conspicu- 
ously shabby and she herself extremely 
plain. 

The bonnet which she removed without 
waiting to be asked followed a fashion of 
about a quarter of a century before. When 
her traveling coat had been laid aside the 


AN OLD HOUSE 


17 


black dress underneath was almost equally 
old-fashioned in design. 

“Here, child, please take this money and 
hide it in the same place, or find a safer 
one,” she announced. “Yet it may be just 
as Well not to mention the robbery to Polly 
Burton. She is sure to need more strength 
than she possesses to be able to start on 
this perilous journey to France almost at 
the beginning of winter, with only you 
foolish children as her companions. Be- 
sides, I presume Polly left the money in 
the most conspicuous place in the house; 
she never has learned not to trust the 
entire world. I allowed the thief to escape 
so we need give no further time to him. 
But tell me the whole story— who are you, 
how did the man get into the house and 
why are you here alone ?” 

Alt last, in the first opportunity which 
had been vouchsafed her, Vera endeavored 
to explain what had occurred. As she 
spoke she could feel herself being observed 
with the keenest, most searching scrutiny. 
Yet for some reason, although never hav- 
ing heard the name or seen her companion 
before, she had no thought of disputing her 


18 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


visitor’s right to whatever information she 
desired. The dark eyes in the weather- 
beaten old face were wise and kind; the 
manner belonged to a woman accustomed 
to being obeyed. 

Later Yera and her guest made a care- 
ful tour of the lower part of the house. Of 
course the cook had vanished soon after 
her husband. But they were downstairs 
in time to meet the police when they finally 
made their appearance. 

Yera opened the door, yet she stood 
aside to hear her companion announce. 

“You can go away again. No, we have 
no need of you, the telephone call was a 
mistake.” 

Finally when the police had disappeared 
without requiring a great deal of persua- 
sion, for the second time Yera followed her 
unknown companion upstairs. 

“You understand, child, it would have 
been the greatest interruption to our pres- 
ent plans if I had not permitted the thief 
to escape. Some one would have had to 
appear in court and doubtless Polly Bur- 
ton would have had newspaper reporters 
coming to the house at all hours. They 


AN OLD HOUSE 


19 


would have liked a story in which a woman 
of her prominence played a part.” 

Fifteen minutes later, having presented 
the unexpected guest with the tea she had 
requested, Yera was sitting beside the tea 
table waiting to satisfy her further needs, 
when she caught the sound of a key being 
turned in the lock of the front door down- 
stairs and the next instant Mrs. Burton’s 
voice, followed by Bettina Graham’s, call- 
ing for her. 

With a hurried apology and really fear- 
ful that her autocratic companion might 
attempt to detain her, Yera ran out of the 
room. 

Over the banisters she could see Bettina 
Graham, who had just arrived from 
Washington, and Mrs. Burton, who had 
gone down to the Pennsylvania station to 
meet her. 

Standing near Bettina was a girl whom 
Vera had never seen before. 

As soon as she joined them Bettina in- 
troduced her explaining: 

“Vera, this is Mary Gilchrist, who is 
going abroad to drive a motor in France. 
She had no friends with whom she could 


20 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


cross, and as we were intending to sail on 
the same steamer, I suggested when we 
met in Washington the other day that she 
might like to join our Camp Fire unit. 
At the depot I introduced her to Tante, 
who of course insisted that she come home 
with us rather than stay in a hotel alone .’ 9 

During this conversation, Mrs. Richard 
Burton, the Sunrise Camp Fire guardian 
of former days, having passed by the 
group of girls, was making her way up- 
stairs alone. She had moved so quickly 
that, in her effort to be polite to Bettina’s 
new friend, Yera had no opportunity to 
mention the presence of another stranger 
in the house. When she did murmur some- 
thing, Mrs. Burton did not hear. 

Reaching her own sitting-room she 
gazed uncertainly for half an instant at 
the tall figure on the divan, who, having 
poured herself another cup of tea, was now 
engaged in drinking it. The next she 
clasped her hands together and with a 
manner suggesting both nervousness and 
apology, began. 

“Aunt Patricia, please don’t say you 
have come to argue with me about taking 


AN OLD HOUSE 


21 


my group of Sunrise Camp Fire girls to 
work with me in the devastated area of 
France. It is really too late now to inter- 
fere. I was finally able to secure my hus- 
band ’s permission. ’ ’ 

Miss Patricia Lord carefully set down 
her tea-cup. 

“Come and kiss me, Polly Burton, and 
tell me you are glad to see me. I don’t 
like your fashion of greeting an unex- 
pected guest. But there— you look tired 
out from too much responsibility before it 
is time to set sail ! As a matter of fact, I 
have not come to try to prevent your going 
to France. Has anybody ever made you 
give up anything you had firmly set your 
heart upon? But, mavourneen, I have 
come to go with you. Do you suppose for 
a moment, after receiving yours and 
Richard’s letters telling me of your plans, 
that I dreamed of allowing you to under- 
take such a project as you have in mind 
alone? Why, you won’t be able to look 
after yourself properly, to say nothing of 
more than half a dozen young girls ! I am 
told there are eight hundred and forty 
thousand homeless people in the devas- 


22 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


tated districts of France at the present 
time and I cannot understand why you 
wish to add to the number. But as you 
will go, well, I am determined to go with 
you.” 

A moment later, seated close beside the 
older woman, Mrs. Burton had slipped an 
arm inside hers and was holding it close. 

“Oh, Aunt Patricia, I am so relieved,” 
she murmured. “I have not confided this 
fact to any one before, but sometimes I 
have been so nervous over the prospect of 
looking after my group of Camp Fire girls 
in France that I have wanted to run away 
and hide where no one could ever discover 
me. Of course I am not afraid of disaster 
for myself, Richard is in France and then 
nothing ever happens to me ! Besides, no 
one has a right to think of oneself at 
present. But to be responsible to so many 
mothers for the safety of their beloved 
daughters ! I rise up each morning feel- 
ing that my hair must have turned white 
in the night from the very thought. But 
if you are with me, why, I will not worry! 
Still I don’t see just how you can arrange 
to sail with us ; perhaps you can manage to 


AN OLD HOUSE 


23 


cross later, but our passage has been en- 
gaged for weeks and ” 

Miss Patricia Lord arose and walked 
over to the tea table, where she devoted her 
energy to pouring her hostess a cup of tea. 

“You need not trouble about my ar- 
rangements, Polly. I secured my ticket 
on the steamer upon which you are to sail 
some time ago and also my passport. I 
sent my trunk directly to the boat. Of 
course I am taking but few* clothes with 
me, as a matter of fact, I have all I shall 
require in my suitcase downstairs. But 
later there will be many things necessary 
for our housekeeping in France of which 
you may not have thought.” 


CHAPTER II 


Explanations 

B ETTINA, who on earth is Miss 
Patricia Lord ? A more formidable 
lady I never imagined ! ’ ’ 

Sitting before a fire in their bedroom, 
which they had chosen to share so as to be 
able to talk for as long a time as they 
wished before retiring, were the two Sun- 
rise Camp Fire girls, Bettina Graham and 
Vera Lagerloff. Both girls had changed 
conspicuously in manner and appearance 
since the summer before when they had 
been in camp together “ Behind the Lines” 
in southern California. However, there 
comes a day in every girl’s life when with 
entire suddenness she seems to understand 
and accept the revelation of her woman- 
hood. 

To Bettina Graham had been given an 
added social experience. During the past 
few months, without being formally intro- 
duced into society, nevertheless she had 

( 24 ) 


EXPLANATIONS 


25 


been assisting her mother in receiving in 
their home in Washington. In spite of 
the fact that there had been but little en- 
tertaining on a large scale because of the 
war, Bettina had gone to occasional din- 
ners and small dances, and on account of 
her father’s prominence and her mother’s 
popularity, had shared in the best oppor- 
tunities. Moreover, Washington had 
never been so crowded with interesting 
men and women, and yet scarcely a day 
passed when Bettina did not whisper to 
herself that nothing could make her enjoy 
a conventional society existence. It was 
only because of the universal absorption 
in the war at the present time that society 
had become more endurable. But to con- 
tinue the life indefinitely demanded an 
impossible sacrifice. 

One afternoon in late fall Bettina and 
her father, Senator Graham, in an hour of 
mutual confidence, imparted the informa- 
tion to each other that they regarded them- 
selves as social failures. 

“You see, Bettina, my dear, I was not 
to the manner bom in this social game and 
had no one to teach me until I married 


26 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


your mother,” Senator Graham an- 
nounced with a certain embarrassment. 
4 ‘Indeed, I never had entered a drawing- 
room until I was a grown man and then 
had not the faintest idea how the con- 
founded thing should be done. You don’t 
think you could have inherited a social 
awkwardness from me?” 

Then, fearing to have wounded his 
daughter’s feelings Senator Graham 
added quickly: “I don’t mean that you 
have not charming manners, little Betty, 
as charming as any in the world aside from 
your mother ’s. And personally I have not 
seen a prettier girl in Washington or else- 
where. But if you really are unhappy 
among strangers and would like to go to 
France with your old friends to help with 
the work over there, why, I will try to see 
how matters can be arranged. I don’t think 
I would speak of your idea to your mother, 
not just at present, as there is no point in 
worrying her.” 

In answer Bettina had laughed and 
promised. Always she was touched by her 
father’s use of her old childhood name 


EXPLANATIONS 


27 


now that she had become nearly as tall as 
he himself was. 

“But, father, don’t think I mind shar- 
ing a social disability with you. I am 
afraid my infirmity goes somewhat 
deeper,” Bettina answered. “As a mat- 
ter of fact, I heard one of mother’s friends 
say the other day that there was no more 
brilliant or agreeable man in Washington 
society than Senator Graham, once he 
could be persuaded to throw aside his 
social hauteur and condescend to ordinary 
mortals,” she continued, imitating the 
visitor’s voice and manner, to the Sen- 
ator’s deep amusement. 

“But of course I won’t annoy mother un- 
til I am sure our Camp Fire unit has a 
real chance of being accepted for the work 
in France. It is hard upon mother to have 
had Tony inherit all the family beauty and 
charm. However, he will make up to her 
some day for my failures ! ” 

Bettina was doing herself an injustice. 
In reality she was unusually handsome 
and as she grew older her tall stateliness 
increased her distinction. Tonight she 
looked especially attractive as she sat 


28 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


braiding her long yellow hair into two 
heavy plaits, with a bine corduroy dress- 
ing gown worn over her night-dress. 

“Aunt Patricia? It is odd, Yera, you 
have never heard her name mentioned! 
lYet I confess my personal acquaintance 
with Aunt Patricia also began this after- 
noon, although I have known of her for a 
long time and my mother is one of her 
great friends. 

“Years ago when Tante was first mar- 
ried Aunt Patricia arrived in this coun- 
try from Ireland, and as she seemed to be 
frightfully poor she secured a position at 
the theatre as wardrobe woman. Right 
away she adopted Tante and Uncle Rich- 
ard and they have been devoted to one 
another ever since. Later on Aunt Pa- 
tricia’s brother died, leaving her an enor- 
mous fortune. Then it developed that she 
had come to this country from Ireland be- 
cause he had sent for her and afterwards 
had refused to live with him or accept a 
cent of his money because he would not do 
what she wished, or because for some rea- 
son or other she disapproved of him. 

“After Aunt Patricia inherited the 


EXPLANATIONS 


29 


money she has spent as little as possible 
for her own needs, but instead gives away 
large sums in eccentric fashions which 
appeal to her. Nevertheless I confess I 
am not happy over the prospect of her 
going to France to be with us, although 
Tante seems immensely relieved to have 
her companionship and our families will 
be glad to know she will not have to bear 
so much responsibility alone. It is a good 
deal of a task to look after seven or eight 
girls.” 

Yera frowned somewhat ruefully. 

“But I thought we were going to France 
to care for other people not to be looked 
after ourselves. However, if Miss Lord’s 
behavior this afternoon is a fair criterion 
I shall certainly become as a little child. 
For the entire time we were together I 
don’t think I dared do anything except 
what she commanded. But isn’t it won- 
derful that our entire Camp Fire unit is 
to go to France for the reclamation work? 
I thought when Mrs. Burton offered me 
the opportunity last summer that I should 
go alone.” 

Within the past months Yera Lagerloff 


BO THE FIELD OF HONOR 


had also changed, but the transformation 
was unlike Bettina Graham’s. 

After Billy Webster’s death in Cali- 
fornia Vera had made astonishingly little 
open protest. But for that reason the effect 
upon her character had been the deeper. 

Since her earliest childhood there had 
been but little in her life for which she 
cared intensely, save her friendship with 
the odd dreaming boy, whose ambitions 
for his own future had absorbed so much 
of her time and thought. Until Billy died 
Vera really had never considered her own 
future apart from his. 

In many ways she was superior to the 
members of her own family, which in it- 
self makes for a certain spiritual loneli- 
ness. Yet her parents were Russians, and 
Russia is at present offering more contra- 
dictions in human nature than any other 
race of people in the world. However, if 
her parents were peasants and had but lit- 
tle education, they had possessed sufficient 
courage to emigrate to the United States 
at a time when the Czar and autocracy 
ruled in their own land. Afterwards 
Y era’s father had become a small farmer 


EXPLANATIONS 


31 


on Mr. Webster’s large place, and here 
Vera and Billy had grown up together. 

But at least Vera ’s family made no effort 
to interfere with her. The other chil- 
dren appeared content to follow in the 
ways of their ancestors, living with and 
by the land. In a measure they were 
proud that Vera cared for books and peo- 
ple who could never be their friends. Yet 
perhaps Vera’s character had been largely 
influenced by her one singular friendship. 

Now it remained to be seen what she 
could accomplish with her own life unin- 
spired by a dominating affection. 

She was an unusual looking girl, and 
not handsome according to Anglo-Saxon 
standards. She was tall and ruggedly 
built, with broad shoulders and hips, in- 
dicating strength more than grace. Her 
heavy dark hair, growing low over her 
forehead, had a unique quality of vitality. 
Her nose and mouth were both a little 
heavy, although her mouth gave promise 
of future beauty, and she had the fine 
Slavic eyes with the slight slant. 

Vera and Bettina afforded a marked 
contrast. The one girl, whatever her bril- 


32 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


liant father might say of his antecedents, 
showed only the evidences of high breed- 
ing, both its charm and limitations. Yet, 
thinking more deeply, was not after all 
Vera’s the older ancestry since the first 
men and women must have been those who 
lived nearest to nature ? 

At this moment, when the one girl fin- 
ished speaking, leaning over Bettina 
rested her chin in her slender hand. She 
had not seen Yera for some time and was 
now trying to discover in her companion’s 
face what she knew would never be con- 
fided to her, to what extent Vera had re- 
covered from her sorrow over Billy Web- 
ster’s death. 

But instead of speaking of this, Bettina 
continued : 

“Yes, it is extraordinary that our entire 
Camp Fire unit is so soon to cross over to 
France. I only wish the rest of us were 
as well prepared for the work as you are, 
Vera. You have been studying cooking 
and the care of children, besides the first 
aid and the farm work, which you must 
have known already? I was able to find 
time for only a short period of intensive 


EXPLANATIONS 


33 


study. Yet fortunately I know a good 
deal of French. Ever since I was a tiny 
child I have been speaking French and 
certainly I am familiar with our Camp 
Fire training and ideals. I only learned 
recently that, although there are organiza- 
tions similar to our Camp Fire in Eng- 
land, China, J apan and Australia, there is 
none in France. Is it not a wonderful 
thing that we are to be the pioneers of the 
Camp Fire movement in France? Don’t 
you feel that if we can arouse sufficient 
enthusiasm among the French girls to in- 
duce them to form a national organization 
it will bring American and French girls 
into closer touch with each other ? 

“Do you know, Vera, so many times in 
the past year I have heard prominent men 
in Washington declare that the French, 
British, Italians and Americans, having 
fought together on common ground for a 
common ideal, can never in the future be 
anything but brothers in spirit. Yet 
never once have I heard any one speak of 
the same need for intimate association 
among the women of the different nations. 
Why is this not equally important ? The 


34 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


women of the future must also acquire 
something of the new international spirit, 
must also learn to work and play together. 
I think our Camp Fire embodies all these 
inspiring principles and ideas for girls, 
and so I hope our work in France may be 
the beginning of an international Camp 
Fire organization all over the world.” 

Yera Lagerloff, who had apparently 
been watching the flickering yellow and 
rose flames in their tiny fire while Bettina 
talked, now looked toward her and smiled. 

“Be careful, Bettina, you are a dreamer. 
Remember, the world has room for but 
a few dreamers. I suppose that is why 
Billy went away. After all, you know it 
is the small, hard sacrifices that are re- 
quired of women and girls in time of 
war.” 

Then getting up, Yera began walking up 
and down the room as if finding relief in 
action. 

“By the way, Bettina, have you heard 
the latest news from Gerry Williams? — 
oh, I should have said Gerry Morris, I for- 
got her married name.” Vera went on, 
apparently desiring to change the subject : 


EXPLANATIONS 


35 


“She hopes to see us after we reach our 
headquarters in France, if she and her 
father-in-law are not too far away. I have 
sometimes wondered if Mr. Morris did not 
give the money he had recently inherited 
to help with the restoration work in 
France as a thank offering because Felipe 
was required to serve only a short sen- 
tence for having tried to escape the draft ? 
Soon after he was permitted to enlist. Mr. 
Morris and Gerry are living in one of the 
tiny ruined villages, assisting the old men 
and women and children to rebuild their 
little homes.’ ’ 

Bettina frowned, hardly aware that her 
expression had become slightly skeptical. 

“Yes, I was told that Gerry had sailed 
with her father-in-law, although so far as 
I know Felipe is still in an American 
training camp,” Bettina replied. “But, 
Vera, I am not yet an enthusiast over 
Gerry. However, as we have never liked 
each other, perhaps I am not fair. I do 
not believe that people’s natures ever en- 
tirely change, even if circumstances do 
affect one for a time. So I shall have to 
behold the miracle of a transformed Gerry 


36 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


before I am convinced of the change I am 
told has taken place in her.” 

At this instant Bettina suddenly ceased 
speaking because a faint knock had just 
sounded on their bedroom door. 

When Yera opened the door another 
girl stood outside. She was small and dark 
and had an upward tilt to her nose and 
indeed to her entire face. 

“I know this is the hour for confidences 
and so I won’t interrupt you long,” she 
began. “Only I thought it might be just 
as well if I present you with a short out- 
line of my history. Miss Graham was 
kind enough to allow me to travel to 
Washington with her after meeting me at 
the home of a mutual friend. She does 
not know much about me, so I think she 
is especially kind. But perhaps we girls 
are beginning to take one another more 
for granted! As a matter of fact, my 
name is Mary Gilchrist, although I am 
usually called ‘Gill’ by my friends, be- 
cause my father insists I am so small I rep- 
resent the smallest possible measure. I 
have no mother and have spent all my life 
with my father on our big wheat ranch 


EXPLANATIONS 


37 


in Kansas. I suppose I should have been 
a boy, because I adore machinery and have 
been driving a car for years, even before 
the law would have permitted me to drive 
one. Of course I only motored over our 
ranch at first. Now I am hoping I can be 
useful in France. For the last few years 
I have been able to manage a tractor for 
the plowing and harvesting of our fields. 
My father has given me my own motor to 
take to France. He said he could do 
nothing less, since he had no son to devote 
to his country’s service and, as he was too 
old to fight himself, felt he could do his 
best work in increasing our output of 
wheat. But I did not intend saying so 
much about myself, only to thank you and 
Mrs. Burton for agreeing to allow me to 
make the crossing with you. I shall try 
not to be a nuisance. Good-night. ” 

Then actually before Yera or Bettina 
could reply the other girl vanished. Yet 
she left behind her an affect of energy and 
warmth, her glowing, piquant face, the red 
lights in her brown hair, even the freckles 
on her clear, lightly tanned skin gave one 


38 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


the impression that courage and action 
were essential traits of her character. 

After she had gone Yera smiled. 

“Well Bettina, I believe your new 
friend is original, whatever else she may 
be.” 

And Bettina nodded in agreement. 


CHAPTER III 


“A Long Time Going Oyer There” 

I N a week Mrs. Burton and the Sun- 
rise Camp Fire unit sailed from a 
port somewhere in the United States 
to a port somewhere in France. Not only 
were they accompanied by Miss Patricia 
Lord, but apparently they were led by 
her. Whenever any information had to 
be imparted it was always Miss Patricia 
who gave it and she also appeared to set- 
tle all questions and all disputes. Under 
ordinary circumstances the Camp Fire 
[girls would have been annoyed, but at 
present they were too absorbed in a hun- 
dred interests and as many emotions to be 
more than vaguely aware of Miss Pa- 
tricia’s existence. 

Mrs. Burton, in spite of finding her own 
position frequently usurped and her opin- 
ions regarded as of small value, neverthe- 
less from the moment of leaving New 
[York felt a sensation of gratitude each 

( 39 ) 


40 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


time she glanced at Aunt Patricia’s 
homely and uncompromising countenance. 
In time past they had weathered many 
storms together; if there were storms 
ahead Miss Patricia could be counted upon 
to remain firm as the Rock of Gibraltar. 
Difficult and domineering, yet behind her 
brusqueness there was great good sense. 
Moreover, Mrs. Burton knew that Miss 
Patricia possessed the gift of kindness 
which is the rarest of human qualities. 
The Irish humor was there also, although 
now and then it might be hidden out of 
sight and only used by Miss Patricia as 
she used her Irish brogue in moments of 
special stress. 

Conscious that her group of Camp Fire 
girls was not pleased by the addition of 
a new member to their party, Mrs. Bur- 
ton hoped in time they might come to ap- 
preciate Miss Patricia’s real value, al- 
though she made no effort to propitiate 
them at the start. 

The leave-taking these days is perhaps 
the hardest portion of the journey to 
France. One must say farewell with ap- 
parent cheerfulness to one’s family and 


A LONG TIME GOING 


41 


friends, assuming that whatever dangers 
may lie in wait for other people, for you 
there can be only plain sailing, since this 
is the gallant spirit these tragic times de- 
mand. But for the Camp Fire girls there 
was also a certain fear that they might 
find themselves unfit for the service 
they wished to offer. However, there was 
no faltering and no regret, but only tre- 
mendous inspiration in the knowledge that 
they were to be the first American Camp 
Fire girls to enter France upon a special 
mission and with a special message to 
French girls. 

Of the date or the port from which 
passenger vessels sail these days there is 
no published record. It is enough to state 
that the Camp Fire party sailed one morn- 
ing in the early winter a little before noon 
from a small harbor south of New York 
City. The morning had been cold and 
rainy and the fog lay thick upon the water 
many miles from the land. 

In spite of the fact that their vessel was 
to form one of a convoy of a dozen ships, 
each boat left port at a different hour, to 
meet further out at sea. 


.42 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Soon after their own sailing, Mrs. Bur- 
ton retired to her state-room. Aunt Pa- 
tricia and the Camp Fire girls insisted 
upon remaining on deck for an indefinite 
length of time. 

At what point the United States con- 
siders her ships have entered the danger 
zone on this side of the Atlantic only per- 
sons who have lately crossed to the other 
side can know. 

When this hour arrived the Oamp Fire 
girls were standing close together, al- 
though separated into small groups. 
Peggy Webster, Yera Lagerloff and Bet- 
tina Graham were talking to one another ; 
Sally Ashton and Alice Ashton stood a 
short distance off with their arms about 
each other, drawn together only in 
moments of excitement. Within a few 
feet Marta Clark was beside Mary Gil- 
christ, with Aunt Patricia not far away, 
but apparently paying no attention to 
any of them. 

In truth, it was Aunt Patricia who gave 
the first signal. The ships which until now 
had been at some distance apart were 
deliberately forming into the position 


A LONG TIME GOING 


43 


necessary for their convoy. It was almost 
as if they were making ready for a naval 
attaek ; the boats slowed down, mysterious 
whistles were blown, signals were run up. 

All hour or so later and the entire con- 
voy, guarded by United States torpedo 
destroyers, were steaming rapidly ahead. 

Bettina Graham was leaning over the 
ship’s railing looking toward the western 
line of the horizon through a pair of long- 
distance glasses. In another moment she 
offered the glasses to Vera. 

“I wonder if you can see the destroyers 
more distinctly than I can manage, Vera? 
The fog is so heavy and the boats are so 
nearly the same color. No wonder they 
are known as the ‘gray watch-dogs of the 
sea!’ I suppose one should feel safer be- 
cause we are so surrounded, and yet in a 
way I am more nervous. Certainly the 
destroyers do not allow one to forget the 
reason for their presence, and I really had 
not thought a great deal of our danger 
from submarines until they appeared.” 

For a few seconds as she stared through 
the glasses Vera made no reply. 


44 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


As she turned to present the glasses to 
Peggy, Yera shook her head. 

‘ 4 Then I am a better American than you 
are, Bettina, because I most assuredly do 
not feel as you do. Our guard of destroy- 
ers gives me an almost perfect sense of 
security. It may be absurd of course and 
a kind of jingoism, but I do not consider 
that we can possibly come to grief, pro- 
tected by our own navy.” 

As they stood thus close together the 
Camp Fire girls were wearing the uni- 
forms which had been especially designed 
for their trip abroad. 

Their ordinary Camp Fire outfit was of 
course not suitable; nevertheless the new 
costumes had been made to follow as 
closely as possible the idea and the model 
of the old. For military reasons they had 
chosen a darker shade of brown than the 
ordinary khaki color. At present over 
their serviceable brown serge traveling 
dresses they wore long coats of a golden 
brown cloth made with adjustable capes 
to conform with the changes of climate. 
The only suggestion of the Camp Fire was 
the insignia of the crossed logs with the 


A LONG TIME GOING 


45 


ascending flames embroidered upon one 
sleeve. Their hats were of soft brown felt. 

In spite of the variety of striking and 
interesting uniforms on board ship, al- 
ready the Camp Fire girls had excited a 
good deal of quiet attention. However, 
this may not have been due to their uni- 
forms alone. As a matter of fact, they 
were younger than the other passengers 
and many persons were curious with re- 
gard to the work they were planning to 
undertake in France. 

Sailing upon the same vessel there 
chanced to be a Red Cross unit of twenty 
other girls who were to do canteen work 
among the French and American soldiers. 
But except for one conspicuous exception, 
this unit of girls was noticeably older. 

This made the one girl appear rather 
an outsider; moreover, the Camp Fire 
girls learned that she was not an American 
girl, but a French girl returning to her 
own country. 

There were no passengers on the ship 
who were not sailing to France for urgent 
reasons and for reasons which the United 


26 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


States government considered of sufficient 
importance to permit of their crossing. 

There were a number of business men 
whose affairs were not only of importance 
to themselves, but to the Allied interests as 
well. There was a medical unit with a staff 
of doctors, nurses and assistants, three or 
four newspaper and magazine men, one 
well-known woman writer. But the most 
distinguished among the travelers were 
several returning Frenchmen who had 
been in the United States upon a special 
mission. 


CHAPTER IV 


Chaperoning the Chaperon 

O NE afternoon about midway in the 
voyage across the Atlantic, Mrs. 
Burton was seated upon the upper 
deck in her steamer chair enveloped in a 
fur rug and a fur coat. A small sealskin 
turban completely covered her hair, so 
only her face was revealed, her brilliant 
blue eyes, long slender nose and chin, and 
her cheeks upon which two spots of color 
were glowing. 

She was talking in French with a great 
deal of animation to a man who sat beside 
her. From his manner and appearance 
and also from his pronounciation it was 
self-evident that he was a Frenchman. 
Moreover, he revealed a certain intel- 
lectual distinction typically French. 
Monsieur Georges Duval was of middle 
age with clear-cut, aristocratic features, 
keen dark eyes and iron-gray hair. In 

( 47 ) 


48 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


comparison with him Mrs. Burton looked 
like a girl. 

It was just before tea time and the deck 
was crowded with the ship’s passengers. 
Since no lights were permitted after dark, 
it was necessary to enjoy all the daylight 
possible out of doors. This afternoon was 
clear and lovely, with a serene blue sky 
and sea. 

A number of the Camp Fire girls were 
strolling about talking to new acquaint- 
ances. But if Mrs. Burton had any knowl- 
edge of their presence she gave no sign, 
being too deeply interested in her conver- 
sation with her present companion. 

“You are extremely kind, Monsieur, 
and I am most happy to receive any ad- 
vice you can give me. Later on I shall 
probably ask for your aid as well. Now 
and then I have wondered if in coming to 
France to offer our services to your coun- 
try many American women may not prove 
more of a burden than a help. I hope this 
may not be true of me or of my com- 
panions. We intend to settle down some- 
where in one of the devastated districts 
and do whatever we can to be useful. But 


CHAPERONING 


49 


chiefly the group of girls I have with me 
want to offer their services to French girls. 
I have so often thought, Monsieur, that 
perhaps the greatest problem of the future 
rests with the young girls of the present 
day. When the war is over it will be their 
task to care for the wounded men and for 
many others whom these long years of 
warfare will have made unfit for work. 
More than this, there will be so many of 
these girls who can never have husbands 
or children. Our Camp Fire organization 
in the United States has a special message 
for the women of the future. But I must 
not bore you with this when you have so 
many matters of more importance to hold 
your attention.” 

Monsieur Duval shook his head. 

“ You are not boring me, Madame. You 
could not do that, but in any case remem- 
ber you are talking to a Frenchman about 
the women of his own country. Some- 
times I think we Frenchmen confuse our 
women and our country; to us they are so 
much one and the same thing. When we 
fight for France, we are fighting for our 
women, when we fight to protect our 


50 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


women we are fighting to save France. I 
do not believe the world half realizes what 
great burdens the French women bore 
after the Franco-Prussian war, only forty 
years ago, not only in . working shoulder 
to shoulder with their men, but by inspir- 
ing them after a bitter and cruel defeat. 
The courage, the steadfastness which 
France has revealed in the four long years 
of this present war is one way in which 
we have tried to pay our immense debt to 
them.” 

Unable to reply because of the tears 
which she made no effort to conceal, Mrs. 
Burton remained silent for a few 
moments. When she finally spoke it was 
with a kind of diffidence : 

“Monsieur Duval, has it ever occurred 
to you how strange it is that, aside from 
our American Revolution, most of the 
great modern wars for democracy have 
been fought upon French soil? I have 
thought of this many times and sorrowed 
over what seems the injustice to your race. 
Forgive me if I appear too fanciful ! Re- 
cently I have recognized why France 
always is represented by the symbolic 


CHAPERONING 


51 


figure of a woman. She has endured the 
birth of the world’s freedom inside her 
body and her soul.” 

In Mrs. Burton’s speech there was per- 
haps nothing original, but always there 
was the old thrilling beautiful quality to 
her voice which stirred her audience, 
whether large or small. 

Monsieur Duval did not attempt to hide 
both his admiration and interest in his 
companion. The second day out at sea 
they had been introduced to each other 
by Mrs. Bishop, the woman novelist, with 
whom Mrs. Burton had a slight acquaint- 
ance in New York City. Indeed, they had 
met only upon one occasion, but on ship- 
board one is apt to renew acquaintances 
which one would have considered of no 
special interest at other times. 

Since their original meeting Mrs. Bur- 
ton and the French commissioner, whom 
she had discovered to be a member of the 
French senate as well, had spent several 
hours each day in talking together. There 
were many subjects in which they were 
both interested, although of course the 


52 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


war absorbed the greater part of their 
thought. 

“I only hope France may prove worthy 
of the sympathy and aid your country 
pours out upon her so generously. But I 
think when you reach France you will 
have no reason to complain of her lack of 
gratitude / ’ the Frenchman answered. 

“Of course our cause at present is a 
common one and our soldiers are fighting 
as brothers. But long before your men 
fought with ours, you American women 
were rendering us every possible service. 
Please be sure if I can be of the least assist- 
ance to you in making your plans for work 
in France I shall be more than happy. In 
spite of all our conversations you never 
have told me definitely what it is you 
intend doing.’ ’ 

Mrs. Burton smiled. A cool breeze was 
blowing in from the sea so that she hid 
herself closer inside her rug. 

“Just a moment then, Monsieur Duval, 
I will talk of our plans and then we must 
discuss something frivolous. Every morn- 
ing as I waken I make up my mind not to 
speak of the War for at least a few hours, 


CHAPERONING 


53 


but somehow I never manage to keep my 
promise to myself. We intend under- 
taking a certain amount of reclamation 
work in one of the ruined French villages. 
Our present scheme is first to find an old 
farm house and establish ourselves there 
in order to make a home where our neigh- 
bors can come to us as they will. My 
Camp Fire girls thus hope to form friend- 
ships with the French girls and later to 
induce them to become interested in our 
Camp Fire ideas. 

“ You may be amused, Monsieur Duval, 
but another thing we intend is to teach the 
French women and girls to make com 
bread, so as to help in the wheat conser- 
vation. I was told by a woman in Wash- 
ington, who had just come back from the 
devastated regions, that this would be a 
real service to France, if once we could 
persuade the French people to our use of 
corn. The Indians taught us. As our 
Camp Fire is more or less modeled upon 
their institutions, we hope to carry on the 
Indian message of the corn. But enough 
of this ; you have been kind to listen to me 
so long.” 


54 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Monsieur Duval shook his head cour- 
teously. 

“ What you say is interesting and worth 
while, Madame, but I have an idea that 
you need not personally give all of your 
own time to these efforts. These matters 
your companions and other women may 
be able to accomplish with equal success. 
But you, you probably will find more im- 
portant work to do in France. Perhaps 
you will allow me to see you later. I 
do not wish our acquaintance to end 
with our voyage, and it may be I can per- 
suade you to additional tasks. But in any 
case I hope you will talk personally with 
many of my country people, men and 
women ; there is no one so well adapted to 
make our nations understand each other 
as a gifted and charming American 
woman. I have many friends in Paris 
and before you leave I trust I may be 
allowed the privilege of presenting at least 
a few of them to you.” 

Feeling agreeably flattered, as any 
woman is flattered by the homage of a 
clevfer man, Mrs. Burton was about to 
reply, when suddenly the tall figure of 


CHAPERONING 


55 


Miss Patricia Lord appeared, rising be- 
fore her like a pillar of darkness. 

She gave Monsieur Duval a curt nod; 
except for this she made no explanation 
of her presence, continuing standing until 
the courteous Frenchman felt constrained 
to offer her his chair. 

However, not until he had walked away 
did she condescend to accept his place and 
then she managed to sit perfectly upright, 
which is a difficult feat in a reclining chair. 

“What is the matter, Aunt Patricia V 9 
Mrs. Burton at once demanded, feeling 
suddenly disturbed by Miss Patricia’s 
severe expression. “Surely nothing has 
happened to any one of the Camp Fire 
girls ! I think I have noticed nearly all of 
them strolling about on deck in the past 
half hour.” 

Gloomily Miss Patricia frowned. “I 
am not here to discuss with you the girls 
whom you are suppose to be chaperoning. 
I wish to speak of your conduct, Polly 
Burton. I have been considering the sub- 
ject for the past twenty-four hours. Under 
the circumstances you might as well know 
first as last that I do not approve of your 


56 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


present intimacy with this unknown 
Frenchman, this Mr. Duval.” Miss 
Patricia scorned the use of the French 
title. “I have no idea of attempting to 
pronounce the foolish word the French 
employ for plain ‘ Mister/ However, you 
realize perfectly well that from the day 
following our sailing you have spent the 
greater part of your time in his society. 
Sorry as I am to speak of this, my respect 
for your husband compels me to warn 
you ” 

Here Aunt Patricia was interrupted by 
an explosion of laughter as fresh and in- 
genuous as a girl's. 

“M y dear Aunt Patricia, really I beg 
your pardon, but I supposed you were 
coming with me to France to help me 
chaperon my Camp Fire girls! I never 
dreamed of your also feeling obliged to 
chaperon me. Remember, I am pretty 
old and never was particularly fascinat- 
ing, even as a girl. I am afraid you will 
have a hard time to persuade my husband 
to jealousy. Richard is the fascinating 
member of our family! As a matter of 
fact, I have simply been boring Monsieur 


CHAPERONING 


57 


Duval for the past hour by discussing our 
plan of campaign after we reach France. 
You don’t consider the subject a danger- 
ous one?” 

But neither Miss Patricia’s face nor 
figure relaxed. 

“I may not be original, Polly Burton; 
as a matter of fact, I have no idea that 
you said anything of the least importance 
to your Frenchman. With you it is the 
old story; it is not what you say, but the 
way you say it. I have been watching you 
and you may pretend to have noticed the 
Camp Fire girls. However, if you tell the 
truth, you have not been aware of any- 
thing or anybody except Mr. Duval dur- 
ing the entire afternoon. 

At this moment Miss Patricia appeared 
so annoyed and suspicious that it was 
difficult for Mrs. Burton to decide whether 
she were the more amused or irritated. 
However, it made no difference; either 
attitude would be entirely lost upon Miss 
Patricia Lord. 

“I am sorry you don’t approve of me,” 
Mrs. Burton returned with a pretence of 


58 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


meekness, yet dropping her eyelids to con- 
ceal the expression of her eyes. 

“It is not that I do not approve of yon, 
Polly, for I so seldom do that,” Aunt 
Patricia replied. “It is that I also feel 
it my duty to recall you to your duty. 
You speak of having lately observed the 
Camp Fire girls wandering about near 
you. I feel it an effort to believe this be- 
cause only a short time ago, while undoubt- 
edly you were enjoying yourself with a 
foreigner concerning whom you know 
absolutely nothing, I discovered Sally 
Ajshton seated upon a coil of rope in an 
obscure portion of this vessel, flirting out- 
rageously with a young American phy- 
sician. Your niece, Peggy Webster, is 
walking up and down the lower deck with 
a French officer ; lower deck not the upper, 
mind you, where she might have been seen 
by you, although I doubt it. The other 
girls are ” 

By this time Mrs. Burton had become 
seriously annoyed. She was obliged to 
remember, of course, that Miss Patricia 
was a much older woman, yet, neverthe- 


CHAPERONING 


59 


less her eyes darkened and her color 
deepened a little ominously. 

“Please Aunt Patricia, you are making 
a mistake, ” she began warmly. ‘ 6 1 am not 
in the habit of spying upon my Camp Fire 
girls and I am sure you will never find 
such a proceeding necessary.’ ’ 

Then, ashamed of the word she had em- 
ployed, she continued more gently. 

“So you have been making a tour of in- 
vestigation because you considered that I 
was neglecting my duty? All I can say, 
Aunt Patricia, is that you will always dis- 
cover Sally Ashton flirting if there is an 
agreeable man in sight. I cannot make up 
my mind whether or not Sally is uncon- 
scious, yet flirting with her is either an 
instinct, an art, or both. However, every 
man who sees her immediately succumbs. 
But as for Peggy, Peggy is an absolutely 
trustworthy person! Did I not tell you 
that Peggy considers herself engaged to 
Ralph Marshall, who is in the aviation 
service in France at the present time? 
None of Peggy’s family will acknowledge 
her engagement ; we feel she is too young, 
yet Ralph’s parents are old friends of my 


60 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


sister and brother-in-law. After a time I 
am sure you will understand the Camp 
Fire Girls better . ’ 7 

There was undeniably a tone of con- 
descension in Mrs. Burton y s voice, and 
Aunt Patricia sniffed. 

“I understand the girls as well as I 
consider necessary, Polly Burton, and 
probably better than you do. I have 
always insisted that you have little knowl- 
edge of human nature. As for thinking 
that a girl of Peggy’s age, with almost no 
experience of life, can have any idea of the 
character of man she could or should 
marry ” 

But here, realizing that Miss Patricia 
was mounted upon one of her favorite hob- 
bies and that nothing she could say or do 
would stop her, Mrs. Burton, pretending 
to offer a polite attention, in reality al- 
lowed her mind to wander. 

Miss Patricia was usually antagonistic 
to all male persons safely past their baby- 
hood. Among her friends it was an open 
question whether Aunt Patricia had been 
jilted at an early age, or whether she had 
never condescended to an admirer. 


CHAPERONING 


61 


“All men are idiots,” is what she had 
heen known to remark when hard pressed. 

Gradually Mrs. Burton allowed herself 
to slip back in her chair, resting her head 
more comfortably against a brown velvet 
cushion. 

It was strange that she had felt so little 
fear of the submarine menace during the 
present voyage, when she had expected to 
be fearful the entire way across. There 
were odd moments at night when one could 
not sleep, thinking of the possible, even 
the probable danger that might manifest 
itself at any moment. But aside from 
obeying the ship’s rules with regard to 
life belts and lights, the keeping of one’s 
state-room door unlatched, what was there 
to do save trust in a higher power ? 

Actually at this moment Mrs. Burton, 
while presumably listening, was deciding 
that she was enjoying the very crossing to 
France she had so much dreaded. 

It would never do to shock Aunt Pa- 
tricia, yet in a number of years she had 
not met so agreeable a man as the French 
senator. Moreover, she was entertained 
by the opportunity to form a new and 


S2 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


stimulating intimacy with a clever woman. 
Mrs. Bishop, known to her public as 
Georgianna Bishop, having written sev- 
eral successful novels, was at present 
traveling to Europe to write of the Amer- 
ican soldiers life in the trenches. 

In spite of the fact that Miss Patricia 
seemed also to regard Mrs. Bishop with 
disfavor, Mrs. Burton had invited her to 
spend a part of her time in France with 
them, if it could possibly be arranged. 

At this moment, if Miss Patricia would 
only stop talking, Mrs. Burton believed 
that she would like to have Mrs. Bishop 
sit beside her during the hour of afternoon 
tea. 

Tea would be served in a few moments. 
Perhaps, if Miss Patricia would decide 
to move, one of the Oamp Fire girls would 
appear to act as messenger and find Mrs. 
Bishop. 

With this thought in mind, glancing 
carelessly up and down the deck, Mrs. 
Burton discovered Vera LagerlofE and 
Bettina Graham coming hurriedly toward 
her. What was more surprising, they 
were accompanied by the new friend with 


CHAPERONING 


63 


whom she had been talking a few moments 
before. 

Both girls looked so white and fright- 
ened that Mrs. Burton, making a hasty 
movement in attempting to jump up from 
her chair, found herself entangled in her 
steamer rug. 

AlS Monsieur Duval endeavored to extri- 
cate her, he said quietly : 

“I hope we have not alarmed you, but 
a most unfortunate accident has just oc- 
curred on board ship, which I hope may 
not develop into a tragedy. A young 
French girl, traveling with the American 
Red Cross unit, is supposed to have at- 
tempted to take her own life. I am by no 
means sure of this, she may be ill and have 
fainted from some cause. I was sent for, 
I presume because of my nationality, then 
some one suggested you.” 

But before Monsieur Duval had more 
than finished speaking, Mrs. Burton was 
hurrying away, accompanied by Bettina 
and Vera. 

“I really do not know how to explain 
what has happened,” Bettina continued. 
“You remember the French girl we have 


64 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


noticed because she appeared so much 
younger than the other members of her 
Red Cross unit? It seems that at the be- 
ginning of the war all her people were 
killed and her home in France destroyed, 
so that she is now entirely alone. She was 
living with friends in the United States, 
but suddenly decided that she wished to 
return to France. Unexpectedly she must 
have lost her courage. However, all Yera 
and I really know it what one of the other 
Red Cross girls told us, asking us to tell 
no one else.” 

By the end of Bettina’s speech, Mrs. 
Burton and the two girls had left the deck, 
and Yera was leading the way down one 
of the narrow corridors bordered on either 
side by small state-rooms. 

At the door of one of the rooms a woman 
in the uniform of a Red Cross nurse, after 
making a little motion to command silence, 
stepped quietly out. 

“ There is nothing serious the matter, 
Mrs. Burton. It was hardly Worth while 
to disturb you. At present the young 
French girl who was crossing with us to 
her former home is suffering from an at- 


CHAPERONING 


65 


tack of hysteria. As I have not been able 
to quiet her and as you are here, perhaps 
you will come and see what you can do.” 

Then she turned to Vera and Bettina. 

“If there is any other story of what has 
occurred being told on board ship, will you 
please do your best to contradict it? A 
ship is a hopeless place for gossip. How- 
ever, I am afraid Yvonne will scarcely be 
fit for the work our Red Cross unit expects 
to undertake. I must find some one to be- 
friend the child after we reach Paris. ” 

Bettina and Yera moved away, followed 
by the older woman. 

At the same instant Mrs. Burton, enter- 
ing the half open door of the state-room, 
discovered a young girl of about seventeen 
or eighteen, with large brown eyes and fair 
hair, lying huddled on the bed. She was 
not crying, yet instantly put up her hands 
before her face as if to escape observation. 

Mrs. Burton sat down on the edge of the 
berth beside her. 


CHAPTER Y 


The Confession 

D ON’T talk if you prefer not; per- 
haps you may be able to sleep 
after a little if I sit here beside 
you,” Mrs. Burton said gently. 

“But I would prefer to be alone,” the 
young French girl answered, speaking 
English with a pretty foreign accent. 

Instantly Mrs. Burton rose, intending 
to leave the tiny state-room; however, 
having gone but a few steps she heard the 
the same voice plead : 

“No, please don ’t leave me. I have been 
watching you and your friends ever since 
our ship sailed, and as I must talk to some 
one, I wish it to be you. If you only knew 
how sorry I am to have created a scene and 
to have given so much trouble, when 
everybody has been so kind.” 

Then the girl began to cry again, but 
softly as if her desire for tears was nearly 
spent. 


( 66 ) 


THE CONFESSION 


67 


Without replying Mrs. Burton took her 
former position. 

Occasionally she had a moment of think- 
ing that perhaps after her years of experi- 
ence as a Camp Fire guardian she was 
beginning to understand something of the 
utterly unlike temperaments of varying 
types of girls. Moreover, in spite of Aunt 
Patricia’s judgment, her work had 
afforded her unusual opportunities for the 
study of human nature. 

Now, as she sat silently watching the 
young French girl in her effort to regain 
her self-control, Mrs. Burton realized that 
hers would be no ordinary story. Her 
friend had chosen to protect her by stating 
that she was suffering from an attack of 
nerves, yet this instant the girl was mak- 
ing an intense effort to gain a fresh hold 
upon herself both mentally and physically. 

“I am sorry,” she repeated a moment 
later, 66 for I realize now I should never 
have made the attempt to return home to 
France, although I thought after nearly 
three years in the United States surely 
I had the courage ! Still, for the past few 
days I have been becoming more and more 


68 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


convinced that I was going to fail, that 
I had not the strength for the work ahead 
of me. What you were told just now, that 
I had merely fainted, was not true. I had 
made up my mind that since I was not 
going to be able to be of service to my 
country I would not add to her burden. I 
could not do that; there had to be some 
way out, and I had to find the wa y.” 

Sitting up, Yvonne now leaned forward, 
resting her small head with its heavy 
weight of fair hair upon her hands, 
clasped under her chin. She was not look- 
ing at her companion. Her eyes held an 
expression which betrays an inner vision. 

“I did make an effort to do what you 
suspect. I wonder if I was wrong? Cer- 
tainly I was unsuccessful, since I do not 
even feel ill in consequence. I suppose 
I ought to explain that I had written 
a note to apologize for the mistake 
I had made in urging the Red Cross unit 
to bring me with them to France and to 
say I regretted the distress and trouble I 
must give. Then as I was carrying the 
letter to the room of the friend whom you 
found here with me I think I must have 


THE CONFESSION 


69 


fainted. She was shocked and angry when 
she learned what I had attempted to do and 
I have given my word I will not try 
again.’ ’ Yvonne was silent for a moment 
and then added with another catch in her 
voice : “Do you think it wicked of me, be- 
cause I am still a little sorry I failed in 
What I attempted? But I don’t think you 
will when I have told you my history.” 

Under ordinary circumstances Yvonne’s 
broken and incoherent story would have 
annoyed Mrs. Burton. She had scant 
sympathy and could make but slight ex- 
cuse for the neurotic persons who have no 
fortitude with which to meet life’s in- 
evitable disasters but expend all their en- 
ergy in compassion for themselves. Espe- 
cially did she resent this characteristic in 
a young girl, having grown accustomed to 
the sanity and the outdoor spirit engen- 
dered by the Camp Fire life. Moreover, 
one has at present no time or pity save for 
real tragedies. 

Yet Yvonne’s attitude had not so 
affected her. Instead she realized that the 
girl’s suffering had been due to a vital 


70 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


cause and that the secret of her action still 
remained hidden. 

“Had you not better rest and talk to me 
later ?” Mrs. Burton inquired. “I think 
you are very tired, more so than you 
realize. After a time perhaps you will see 
things more clearly. You are young, 
Yvonne, to believe there is nothing more 
for you in life that is worth while.” 

“I know that would be true if these were 
not war times, Madame,” the girl an- 
swered. “Will you please listen to my 
story now ? There may be no opportunity 
at another time.” 

Slipping out of her berth, Yvonne prof- 
fered the one small chair the state-room 
afforded to her visitor. 

“Won’t you sit here? You may be more 
comfortable,” she suggested. 

Then she found a seat for herself on the 
lounge which ran along one side of the 
room. 

By this time the little French girl was 
looking so completely exhausted that Mrs. 
Burton would have liked again to urge her 
to wait. Yet after all perhaps it might be 
a relief to have her confession over! 


THE CONFESSION 


71 


“ I was living in a chateau with my 
mother and two brothers when the war be- 
gan/ ’ Yvonne said, going directly to the 
heart of her story. “ After the news came 
that war was declared and the Germans 
had invaded our country, my older 
brother, Andre, left at once to join his 
regiment near Paris. At that time we did 
not dream there could be danger near our 
home, which seemed so far from the front. 
I do not know whether you have noticed 
my name on our passenger list, Yvonne 
Fleury, and our home was called the 
Chateau Yvonne. It is not in existence 
any longer. But I am afraid I am not tell- 
ing my story clearly. Sometimes I grow 
confused trying to remember when things 
actually happened, as they all came 
quickly and unexpectedly. After my 
brother and our men servants had gone 
my mother and I tried to carry on the 
work at the chateau as well as we could 
with only the women to help. W e were not 
rich people; my father had died some 
years before, soon after my younger 
brother was bom. But we had a good deal 
of land and a beautiful orchard. It seems 


72 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


strange to think that even the orchard has 
been destroyed!” 

As Yvonne talked she had a little habit 
of frowning, almost as if she were doubt- 
ing the truth of her own story. Neverthe- 
less, however unique and impossible her 
story might sound to her own ears, stories 
like hers had grown only too familiar since 
the outbreak of the war in Europe. 

A moment later and she seemed con- 
fused, as if scarcely knowing how to take 
up the threads of her own history. After- 
wards she tried to speak more slowly, her 
voice sounding as if she were worn out 
both from her recent suffering and from 
the effort to recount her own and her 
country’s tragedy. 

“For weeks after the war started we 
had almost no news of any kind to tell us 
what was taking place. My brother could 
not send us a letter, as all our trains were 
devoted to carrying our troops. Now and 
then, when an occasional motor car passed 
through our village, a soldier or an officer 
would drop on the roadside an edition 
speciale de la Presse. Perhaps one of the 
old peasants, picking up the paper, would 


THE CONFESSION 


73 


bring it to our chateau. Afterwards a 
number of them would gather around 
while either my mother or I read aloud the 
news. In those first days the news was 
nearly always sad news.” 

Then for a little while Yvonne made no 
effort to continue her story and Mrs. Bur- 
ton understood her silence. 

“As soon as we could, my mother and I 
organized a little branch of La Croix 
Rouge in our village and did what we 
could. We had many people to help and 
so spent most of our time making ban- 
dages from old linen. We were told then 
that the wounded might be sent back 
across the Marne to be cared for by us and 
that our houses must be made ready to use 
as hospitals. But the wounded were not 
cared for by us, not in those early weeks 
of the war. You know what took place, 
Madame. Our soldiers were defeated; it 
is now an old story. One night when the 
battle line was drawing closer and closer to 
our home we were warned to flee. But my 
mother could not, would not believe the 
word when it came and so we waited too 
long. We had only a farm wagon and an 


74 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


old horse with which to make our escape, 
our other horses and car having been re- 
quisitioned for the army. ’ ’ 

This time, when Yvonne hesitated, Mrs. 
Burton had a cowardly wish that she 
would not go on with her story, so easy it 
was to anticipate what might follow. 

In this moment Yvonne lived over again 
the night in her life she could never forget. 
Instead of the soft lapping of the waves 
against the sides of the ship, the young 
French girl was hearing the booming of 
guns, the shrieking of shells and the final 
patter of bullets like a falling rain. 

“I would prefer not to tell you anything 
more in detail, Mrs. Burton,’ ’ Yvonne 
afterwards added more calmly than one 
could have thought possible. 

“The night of our attempted escape we 
were overtaken by the enemy and my little 
brother was killed; a few days later my 
mother died of the shock and exposure. I 
don’t know just how things happened. I 
remember I was alone one night in a woods 
with a battle going on all around me. Next 
morning I believe the Germans began a 
retreat. A French soldier found me and 


THE CONFESSION 


75 


took me with him to the home of some 
French people. I think I must have been 
with them several weeks before I was my- 
self again. Then I learned that our 
chateau had been burned and my brother 
reported killed. 

“One day an American friend, who had 
learned of our family tragedy, came to see 
me and decided that it would be wiser to 
take me home to his own family in the 
United States. I was so dazed and miser- 
able he believed I would be happier there 
and would sooner learn to forget. Of 
course after a time I was happier, but of 
course one can never forget. So at last I 
persuaded my friends I must be allowed 
to return to my own country, that I must 
help my people who were still going 
through all that I had endured. My 
friends were opposed to the idea, but be- 
cause I insisted, at last they gave their 
consent. Then after our boat sailed I felt 
I could not go back to France. I was 
afraid. I remembered the long night in 
the woods— the German soldiers ” 

Mrs. Burton’s arms were about the girl. 

“Please don’t talk any more of the past, 


76 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Yvonne. Try to remember, my dear, that 
the enemy is no longer in the neighbor- 
hood of your old home. He has been 
driven further and further back until 
some day, please God, the last German 
soldier shall have disappeared forever 
from the sacred soil of France. 

“ Sleep now, I shall sit here beside you. 
Later I will talk to you about joining my 
group of girls in France. You are not 
strong enough for the Red Cross work at 
present, but a great deal of our work will 
be among young French girls and you 
could be of the greatest aid to us if you 
care to help. Yet there will be time 
enough later to speak of our Camp Fire 
plans.” 

However, when Yvonne had crawled 
back into her berth, more exhausted than 
she had realized, Mrs. Burton continued 
sitting beside her. Then, hoping the sound 
of her voice might be soothing and in 
order to help Yvonne to sleep and also be- 
cause of the power of suggestion, she re- 
peated a Camp Fire verse : 


THE CONFESSION' 


77 


“As fagots are brought from the forest, 

Firmly held by the sinews which bind them, 

I will cleave to my Camp Fire sisters 
Wherever, whenever I find them. 

“I will strive to grow strong like the pine tree, 
To be pure in my deepest desire ; 

To be true to the truth that is in me 
And follow the Law of the Fire.” 


CHAPTER VI 


A French Farm House on the Field 
of Honor 

I S the French country more tragic or 
less so than you anticipated, Vera?” 
Peggy Webster inquired. 

She and Vera Lagerloff were walking 
along what must once have served as a 
road, each girl carrying a large, nearly 
empty basket on her arm. 

“Do you mean the actual country?” 
Vera questioned. “Then, yes, conditions 
are worse than I expected to find them, 
certainly in a neighborhood like this, 
where the work of restoration is only just 
beginning.” She frowned, shaking her 
head sadly. 6 6 1 could never have imagined 
God’s earth could be transformed to look 
like a place of torment, and yet this coun- 
tryside suggests one of the hells in Dante’s 
‘Inferno.’ But if you mean are the 
French people more tragic than I thought 
to find them, then a thousand times, no! 

( 78 ) 


A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 79 


Was there ever anything so inspiring or so 
amazing as their happiness and courage 
in returning to their old homes ? The fact 
that their homes are no longer in existence 
seems not to discourage them, now their 
beloved land has been restored. When we 
have been working here a longer time I 
hope I shall recover from my desire to 
weep each time I see an old man or woman 
happily engaged in rebuilding one of their 
ruined huts. It is a wonderful experience, 
Peggy, this opportunity to appreciate the 
spiritual bravery of the French people. I 
hope I may learn a lesson from them. I 
have needed just such a lesson since Billy’s 
death.” 

For a moment Peggy Webster made no 
reply. 

The entire countryside through which 
they were passing lay between the line of 
the German advance into France at the 
beginning of the war and the famous 
Hindenburg line to which the Boches were 
forced back. The Germans had so de- 
vastated the French villages and country, 
it was as if the plague of the world had 
swept across them. The valley had also 


80 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


suffered the bombardment of the enemy 
and the returning fire from their own 
guns. 

Yet on this winter day the sun was 
shining brilliantly on the uptom earth, 
which once had been so fair, while in a bit 
of broken shell not far from the road an 
indomitable sparrow had builded her nest. 

There were no shrubs and the trees were 
gaunt scarred trunks, without branches or 
leaves, reminding one of an ancient 
gloomy picture in the old-time family 
Bible, known as “Dry Bones in the Val- 
ley.” 

“Well, even the French country does 
not make me sorrowful, not just at pres- 
ent,” Peggy replied. “If only the enemy 
can be forced further back next spring 
when the expected drive takes place, what 
a wonderful opportunity for us to be 
allowed to continue to help with the restor- 
ation of the French country. I do not be- 
lieve many years will be required before 
the land will be lovely and fruitful again. 
But then you know I am a tiresome prac- 
tical person. You don’t suppose by any 
chance this portion of France will ever be 


A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 81 


destroyed by the enemy a second time? 
Yes, I know even such a suggestion sounds 
like disloyalty and I do not of course be- 
lieve such a tragedy could occur. Just 
think, Yera, what only a handful of Amer- 
ican women have accomplished here in the 
Aisne valley ! Ten American women have 
had charge of the rehabilitation of twenty- 
seven villages and with the aid of the sol- 
diers during their leaves of absence from 
the trenches have placed five thousand 
acres of land under cultivation. I hope 
we make a success of our work, Vera, yet 
whatever the future holds, we must stick 
to our posts .’ 9 

The two Camp Fire girls were walking 
ankle deep in the winter mud. Where the 
roads had been cut into furrows by the 
passing of heavy artillery, miniature 
streams of melted snow ran winding in 
and out like the branches of a river. Now 
and then a gulley across the road would 
be so deep and wide that one had to make a 
flying leap to cross safely. 

About a quarter of a mile away the 
Aisne watered the countryside and the 
towns. Not far off was the classic old 


82 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


town of Rheims with her ancient Cathe- 
dral already partly destroyed. Encircling 
the landscape was the crown of low hills 
where not for days but years the tides of 
battle have surged up and down from vic- 
tory to defeat, from defeat to victory, until 
during the winter of 1917 and 1918 there 
was a lull in the world conflict. 

Finally the two girls came in sight of a 
field. Already a devoted effort was being 
made to prepare the ground for an early 
spring plowing. Stray bits of shell, the 
half of a battered helmet, the butt of a 
broken gun had been laid in a neat pile, 
the larger stones had been placed beside 
them. 

Standing in front of a tiny hut which 
evidently had been partly burned down, 
were an old man and woman busily at work 
trying to rebuild their house. A small 
quantity of new lumber lay on the ground 
beside them. 

“Dear me, I wish I were a carpenter, a 
mason, a doctor, I don’t know what else, 
and a million times a millionaire, then one 
might really be useful ! ’ ’ Peggy exclaimed, 


A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 83 


as she and Yera stopped to gaze sympa- 
thetically at the old couple. 

The next instant their attention was also 
attracted by a child who was sitting near 
the pile of broken stones and shells nurs- 
ing something in her arms. At first she 
did not observe the two American girls, 
although they were facing her and not 
many yards away. 

Her shock of dark hair looked as if it 
had been cut from her head in the dark- 
ness, she had large unhappy black eyes 
and a thin, haggard face. 

Finally discovering the two older girls, 
with an unexpected cry of terror, she made 
a flying leap toward the house, still clasp- 
ing her broken doll, and hid herself inside. 

At the child’s cry the man and woman 
also turned as if they too were frightened 
and yet unable to flee. For an instant 
Vera and Peggy saw in their faces a sug- 
gestion of what they all too recently had 
endured. The next moment the old peas- 
ants were bowing and smiling with unfail- 
ing politeness. 

“Do you think we might speak to them, 
Vera?” Peggy inquired. “Of course we 


84 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


do not wish to be obtrusive, but I have a 
few groceries which I did not give away in 
the village still remaining in my basket. 
It is possible they might find them useful. 
How glad I am Yvonne Fleury is living 
with us ! Already she has taught me more 
than I could ever learn in any other way 
about the French people, their gentleness, 
their infinite industry and patience and 
above all their beautiful manners. I hope 
no one of them will ever feel any Ameri- 
can tries to help in a spirit of patronage ; 
as for myself, each day I pray for a fresh 
gift of tact.” 

Yera started forward. 

“Come with me, Peggy, I think I can 
persuade the two old people to realize we 
only wish to be helpful. You see, my own 
people were Russian peasants and there 
ought to be a bond of sympathy between 
us. It is true the French earned their lib- 
erty over a century ago, while our liberty 
yet hangs in the balance, now that Ger- 
man autocracy is trying to replace the 
Russian. I believe I am a better carpenter 
than these old people ; if they are friendly 
I intend to ask them to allow me to return 


A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 85 


to assist them with their work tomorrow.” 

Afterwards for ten or fifteen minutes 
the two girls remained talking happily 
with their new acquaintances. 

Like many other Americans, both Vera 
and Peggy had firm faith in their knowl- 
edge of the French language until their 
arrival in France. Assuredly they could 
understand each other perfectly as well as 
other Americans and English friends who 
spoke French slowly and deliberately. 
But unfortunately the French folk appar- 
ently speak with greater rapidity than any 
other nation on the face of the earth and 
with a wealth of idioms and unexpected 
intonations, leaving the foreigner who has 
never lived in France floundering hope- 
lessly in pursuit of their meaning. 

In contrast with their other new French 
acquaintances the two American girls now 
found the old peasant and his wife a real 
satisfaction. Their vocabularies were not 
large and they spoke in a halting, simple 
fashion not difficult to translate. 

Their story was not unlike the story of 
thousands of other families in the stricken 
regions of France. During the period of 


86 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


victory the Germans had been quartered 
in the nearby village, but as the village was 
not large and the soldiers were numerous, a 
few of them had been sent to live with the 
small peasant farmers not far from the 
town. They were ordered not only to live 
upon them, but also to secure whatever 
livestock they owned, or whatever food of 
value. 

Pere and Mere Michet had possessed a 
daughter and a son-in-law. The son they 
thought still alive and fighting for France. 
Their daughter, Marguerite Michet, had 
disappeared. 

“La petite Marguerite, she has never 
been herself since her mother was taken/ ’ 
Mere Michet explained. “I tell her al- 
ways la lonne mere will return, but she is 
afraid of strangers ; you will pardon 
her ?” 

When at last the girls had been permit- 
ted to leave their small offerings and had 
started toward their new home, Vera had 
agreed to return next day to render what 
assistance she could toward the restoration 
of the little house. Peggy was to come 
back in order to persuade the little French 


A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 87 


girl to make friends and perhaps pay them 
a visit at the farm. 

After walking on for a short added 
distance, both girls finally reached their 
own French farm house. 

It was now late afternoon and the old 
battered building appeared homely and 
forbidding. Once upon a time, with the 
French love of color, the farm house had 
been painted a bright pink, but now the 
color had been washed off, as if tears had 
rolled down the face of some poor old 
painted lady, smearing her faded cheeks. 
A fire had evidently been started when the 
Germans began their retreat, which for 
some freakish reason had died down after 
destroying only the rear portion of the 
building. 

After the arrival of the Camp Fire unit 
in France the entire party had gone 
straight to Paris as they planned, where 
their credentials had been presented to the 
proper authorities, as well as a brief out- 
line of the work which they hoped to be 
allowed to undertake. Their idea was at 
once so simple and so practical that no 
objection was raised. 


88 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


The Camp Fire unit looked forward to 
establishing a community farm in one of 
the ruined districts of France. So after 
a short stay in Paris, following the advice 
of the American Committee, Mrs. Burton 
and Aunt Patricia set out to find a home 
for their unit. Later the Camp Fire girls 
joined them at the old farm house on the 
Aisne. 

Only a little time had passed, neverthe- 
less the farm already suggested home. 

As Peggy and Yera entered the open 
space where a gate had once stood, they 
discovered the entire damp Fire com- 
munity outside in the yard. 

As usual, Aunt Patricia was giving 
orders to everybody in sight, while Mrs. 
Burton in her effort to be of assistance as 
she urged the others not to attempt too 
much, was fluttering about, as often as not 
in the way. 

As a matter of fact, the Camp Fire girls 
were paying but little attention either to 
her or to Aunt Patricia. Mary Gilchrist, 
a few moments before, having driven her 
motor into the farm yard, the girls were at 
present helping her to unload. 


A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 89 


After crossing to France with the Sun- 
rise Camp Fire Unit, Mary had become so 
much one of them that she had concluded 
to remain with them for a time, certainly 
until she could find more useful work. 
Therefore her motor and her services were 
temporarily at their disposal. 

It is amazing what women and girls are 
accomplishing these days without mascu- 
line aid, and whether or not this is a fortu- 
nate state of affairs, the war has left no 
choice. 

Since they were both strong and ener- 
getic, Vera and Peggy were glad to have 
reached home at so critical a moment. 
However, the other girls were getting on 
quite comfortably without their aid. Bet- 
tina and Alice Ashton, having placed a 
plank at the end of the car, managed so 
that the large boxes and packing cases 
could slide onto the ground without being 
lifted. Nearly every box of any size bore 
the name of “Miss Patricia Lord.” 

Finally, “Gill,” for the Camp Fire girls 
were by this time calling Mary Gilchrist 
by her diminutive title, as she seemed to 


90 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


prefer it, standing up on the seat of her 
motor, began signaling for attention. 

“Be quiet for a moment everybody, 
please, and listen as diligently as you can. 
I am not a magician, nor yet a ventrilo- 
quist, yet if you will be perfectly silent 
you will think I am one or both. 

The next instant and Mary’s audience 
became aware of an extraordinary com- 
bination of familiar noises proceeding 
from the depths of her motor. One felt 
like a guest at a “mad tea-party”, al- 
though of a different nature from Alice’s. 
The noises were a mingled collection of 
squawks and cackles and crowing, and 
pitched in a considerably lower key, a rich 
-but unmistakable grunt. 

Alone Aunt Patricia appeared gratified, 
almost exultant. 

Stepping over toward the car with her 
long, militant stride, she gave her com- 
mands briefly. 

“Here, Vera, you have more brains than 
the other girls, help me to move these 
crates. Polly Burton considered it pos- 
sible to run a community farm without a 
farm animal within twenty miles. But 


A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 91 


then she was not brought up on a small 
place in Ireland where we kept the pig 
in the parlor ! ’ ’ And here Miss Patricia ’s 
rich Irish brogue betrayed her cheerful- 
ness for she only gave sway to her Irish 
pronounciation in moments of excitement. 

The next moment, not only with Vera’s 
but also with Peggy’s and Alice Ashton’s 
aid, the four women dragged forward a 
large wooden box with open slats contain- 
ing a noble collection of fowls, then an- 
other of geese and ducks. Finally with ex- 
treme caution they engineered the landing 
of a crate which had been the temporary 
home of a comfortable American hog and 
her eugenic family. 

“Good gracious, Aunt Patricia, how 
did you ever manage to acquire such val- 
uable possessions?” Mrs. Burton de- 
manded. 

“By ordering them shipped from my 
own farm in Massachusetts a month or 
more before we sailed for France and then 
by forwarding my address to the proper 
persons after we landed here,” Miss Pa- 
tricia answered calmly. Ignoring any 


92 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


further assistance, she began opening a 
box which was filled with grain. 

“I presume other things have arrived 
for me as well, Mary Gilchrist ?” Miss 
Patricia questioned. 

Mary nodded and laughed. She looked 
very fetching in her motor driver’s cos- 
tume of khaki with the short skirt and 
trousers and the Norfolk jacket belted in 
military fashion. On her hair, which had 
ruddy red brown lights in it, she wore a 
small military hat deeply dented in the 
center. 

“ Goodness gracious, Aunt Patricia, 
dozens of things!” she replied. “You 
must have chartered an entire steamer to 
bring over your gifts to the French nation. 
Best of all, there are two beautiful cows 
waiting for you in Soissons at this 
moment. I could not bring them in the 
motor, nor did I dare invite them to amble 
along behind my car. But I have ar- 
ranged with an old man in the town to 
escort the cows out to our place tomorrow, 
or as soon as possible.” 

No one did anything but stare at Miss 
Patricia for the next few seconds. 


r A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 93 


Whether or not this condition of af- 
fairs made her unusually self-conscious, 
or whatever the reason, finally she rested 
from her labor of opening boxes to gaze 
first at Mrs. Burton and then slowly from 
one girl's face to the other's. 

“I don’t mean to add to your burdens by 
asking any one of you to assist me in run- 
ning my farm," she began in a tone which 
might have been considered apologetic had 
it emanated from any one than Aunt Pa- 
tricia. “I intend to find an old man to 
help and to do the rest myself. " 

Then a peculiar expression crossed the 
rugged old face. 

“You see, I was raised on a tiny farm 
in Ireland and used sometimes to know 
what it meant to be hungry until my 
brother came over to the United States 
and made a fortune in ways I am more or 
less ashamed to remember. I have been 
telling Polly Burton that I crossed over 
to France because I wished to look after 
her and also to help her care for you girls. 
But that was not the whole truth. I think 
I came largely because I could not sleep in 
my bed of nights knowing how many old 


94 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


people and babies there were in this devil- 
ridden portion of France who were 
hungry. Oh, there are many people as 
well as the governments interested in keep- 
ing the soldiers well fed! Maybe it’s a 
crime these days for the old and for 
babies to require food! Yet they do need 
it. So if you don’t mind, Polly, I want the 
people in our neighborhood to feel that 
they can come to our farm for milk and 
eggs, or whatever we have to give them. 
I left word with the manager of my farm 
near Boston to ship livestock to me in 
France whenever the chance offers. I am 
hoping after a little, when these old people 
get back on their farms that we may be 
able to give each family sufficient stock to 
keep them going until their young men 
and women return home. But remember, 
I don’t wish to interfere with what you 
children are doing, nursing the sick and 
opening schools and starting play centers. 
Heaven only knows what you are not un- 
dertaking ! As I said before, I ’ll just look 
after my farm.” 

Here Miss Patricia attempted to return 
to her usual belligerent manner, but found 


A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 95 


it difficult because Mrs. Burton had 
placed her arm about her. Try as Aunt 
Patricia might to conceal her adoration of 
Mrs. Burton, it was nearly always an im- 
possible feat. 

Besides Mrs. Burton was exclaiming 
with a little catch in her voice : 

“You dear, splendid, old Irish gentle- 
woman ! Is there anybody in the world in 
the least like you? Of course you were 
right when you announced that I never 
would think of the really practical things 
we should require for our work over here. 
But, although I spent as much money as 
I could possibly afford, I have realized 
every day since our arrival, that if I had 
expended every cent I ever hope to pos- 
sess, it would have amounted to nothing. 
Yet I never once thought of the shipping 
of stock for the little farms in our neigh- 
borhood, Aunt Patricia. I am sure you 
will make life more worth while for every 
man and woman in this part of the French 
country before many months.” 

Instead of appearing gratified by these 
compliments, Miss Patricia was heard to 
murmur something or other about Polly 


96 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Burton’s fashion of exaggeration. Then, 
perhaps partly to conceal embarrassment, 
she began tearing the slats from the side 
of one of her crates. Afterwards, driving 
her travel- worn flock of chickens toward 
the chicken house, which she herself had 
made ready, and shooing them with her 
black skirt, Miss Patricia temporarily dis- 
appeared. 

Through tears Mrs. Burton laughed at 
the picture. 

Vera followed Miss Patricia, whom she 
had learned to like and admire since the 
afternoon of their extraordinary introduc- 
tion. 

“I hope to be allowed to help with the 
farm work, Aunt Patricia,” she urged. 
“You know I too was brought up on Mr. 
Webster’s farm in New Hampshire, be- 
sides, all my people in Russia were 
peasant farmers.” 

Miss Patricia did not cease for an in- 
stant to continue to care for her brood. 
However, she did answer with unusual 
condescension : 

“You are a sensible girl, Yera. I ob- 
served the fact on the afternoon I met you 


A FRENCH FARM HOUSE 97 


in New York City when you made no effort 
to argue with me in connection with the 
escape of that ridiculous burglar.” 


CHAPTER VII 


Becoming Adjusted 

I T was not a simple matter for the Sun- 
rise Camp Fire unit to become ac- 
customed to their new life in the de- 
vastated French country. The conditions 
were primitive and difficult. More than 
once in the first few weeks Mrs. Burton 
wondered if in bringing the Camp Fire 
girls with her to work in France hers had 
not been the courage of folly? 

Yet they started out with excellent mili- 
tary discipline. Life at the farm house 
was modeled upon the precepts of the 
“Waacs,” the Womans ’ Army Auxiliary 
Corps of the British army in France. 
These girls, many thousands in number, 
are performing every possible service be- 
hind the British armies in the field. 

Unexpectedly it was Sally Ashton who 
first demanded that a proper routine of 
life and work be laid down and obeyed. 
Also the household work must be equitably 

( 98 ) 


BECOMING ADJUSTED 


99 


divided, each girl choosing her portion ac- 
cording to her tastes and talents. 

Each day’s calendar, written by Mrs. 
Burton upon her typewriter, was hung in 
a conspicuous place in the front hall at the 
French farm. 

The domestic schedule read: 

“Breakfast 8 o’clock, bedrooms cleaned im- 
mediately after. Dinner 1 p. m. Supper 6.30 
p. m. No work after 8.30 p. m. Bedtime 10 
o’clock.” 

In the proper observance of the hours 
for meals Sally Ashton was particularly 
interested, as she had volunteered to un- 
dertake the direction of the housekeeping, 
which consisted of deciding upon the menu 
of the simple meals and assisting in their 
preparation. It was not possible that 
Sally alone should do all the cooking for 
so large a family without wearing herself 
out and leaving no time for other things. 

However, soon after their arrival Mrs. 
Burton had secured the services of an old 
French woman whom she had discovered 
wandering about the country homeless, her 
little hut having been entirely destroyed 


100 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


by the Germans. Not knowing what else 
to do, Mrs. Burton originally invited her 
to live with them at the farm temporarily. 
But she had proved such a help in getting 
settled and the girls had become so fond of 
her that no one of them willingly would 
have allowed Mere Antoinette to depart. 

After the wonderful fashion of French 
cooks, Mere Antoinette could make nour- 
ishing and savory dishes out of almost 
nothing, so she and Sally had principal 
charge of the kitchen. Notwithstanding, 
two of the Camp Fire Girls were to pre- 
pare supper each evening, so that they 
should not forget their accomplishments 
and in order to relieve the others. 

Marie, Mrs. Burton’s maid, had accom- 
panied her to France, although none too 
willingly. It was not that she did not 
adore her afflicted country, but because 
she feared the dangers of the crossing and 
the hardships she might be forced to en- 
dure. 

Marie, alas ! was a patriot of a kind each 
country produces, a patriot of the lips, not 
of the heart or hand. 

It must be confessed that she had wan- 


BECOMING ADJUSTED 101 


dered far from her chosen work as maid to 
a celebrated American actress. Would 
any one have dreamed in those early days 
when Marie had first entered her service 
that Mrs. Burton would have followed so 
eccentric a career as she had wilfully 
chosen in the past few years? First to 
wander about the United States, living 
outdoors in Camp Fire fashion with a 
group of young girls, then with the same 
group of girls and two additional ones to 
undertake the present reclamation work in 
France ! 

Having accomplished the journey 
across the sea in safety, Marie would 
cheerfully, yes, enthusiastically have re- 
mained in Paris, even if it were a Paris 
unlike the gay city she remembered. She 
would have enjoyed accompanying her 
“ Madame ’ 9 to the homes of distinguished 
persons, caring in the meantime for her 
wardrobe and urging her to return to her 
rightful place upon the stage. But since 
Mrs. Burton for the present would do none 
of these things and since Marie had re- 
fused positively to be separated, once more 
she had to make the best of a bad bargain. 


102 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


So voluntarily Marie offered to take 
charge of the greater part of the house- 
work and to devote the rest of her time to 
sewing for the French children in their 
vicinity, whose clothes were nothing but an 
odd assortment of rags. 

Marie had her consolations. It was 
good to be out of a country which produced 
men of the type of Mr. J efferson Simpson, 
who having once proposed marriage and 
been declined, had not the courtesy to re- 
new his suit. Also it was good to speak 
one’s own tongue again, and although at 
present there were but few men to be seen 
in the neighborhood under sixty, there 
were military hospitals in the nearby vil- 
lages. Moreover, there was always the 
prospect of the return of some gallant 
French poilu for his holiday from the 
trenches. So Marie was unable to feel en- 
tirely wretched even while undergoing the 
hardships of an existence within a half- 
demolished farm house on the Aisne. 

As a matter of fact, the old farm house 
was not in so unfortunate a condition as 
the larger number of French homes, which 


BECOMING ADJUSTED 103 


had been wrecked by the enemy before he 
began his “strategic retreat.” 

Only a portion of the left wing of the 
house had been demolished. 

This had comprised a large kitchen, a 
pantry and the dining room. However, a 
sufficiently large amount of space re- 
mained for the uses of the Camp Fire unit. 

In the center the house was divided 
by a long hall. On one side were two com- 
fortably large rooms. The back one was 
chosen for the dining room and the front 
for the living room. The pantry was re- 
stored so that it could serve for the 
kitchen; as the old stove had been de- 
stroyed, a new one was ordered from 
Paris. This developed into a piece of 
good fortune, as it required far less fuel 
than the old, and fuel was one of the great- 
est material problems in France, coal sell- 
ing at this time for $120 a ton. 

A single long room occupied the other 
side of the hall ; this room had a high old- 
fashioned ceiling and was paneled in old 
French oak as beautiful as if it had 
adorned a French palace. 

Mere Antoinette explained that the 


104 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


farm house had been the property of 
Madame de Mauprais, a wealthy French 
woman who had lived in the chateau not 
far away. It had been occupied by her 
son, who had chosen to experiment in 
scientific farming for the benefit of the 
small peasant farmers in the neighbor- 
hood. 

The war had banished Monsieur de 
Mauprais and whatever family he may 
have possessed, so that Mrs. Burton had 
been able to rent his farm for a small sum 
through an agent who lived in the nearest 
village. 

It is possible that the farm house had 
been spared in a measure by the German 
soldiers because of their greater pleasure 
in the destruction of the old chateau which 
was only about half a mile away. At the 
present time the chateau appeared only as 
a mass of fallen stone. 

This single spacious room the Camp 
Fire girls chose for their school room for 
the French children in the neighborhood. 

The better furniture of the farmhouse 
had been hacked into bits of wood by the 
German soldiers and was fit only for burn- 


BECOMING ADJUSTED 105 


ing. The simple things had not been so 
destroyed. Fortunately their camping 
life out of doors had accustomed this par- 
ticular group of American girls to exer- 
cising ingenuity, so that the problem of 
furnishing and making attractive their 
school room with so little to go upon rather 
added to their interest. 

Two long planks raised upon clothes- 
horses discovered in the barn formed a 
serviceable table. Stools and odd chairs 
were brought down from the attic. On 
the floor were two Indian rugs Mrs. Bur- 
ton had induced the Indian woman near 
the Painted Desert in Arizona to weave for 
her with the special Camp Fire design, the 
wood-gatherer’s, the fire-maker’s and the 
torch-bearer’s insignia, inserted in the 
chosen shades of brown, flame color, yel- 
low and white. 

On the walls hung a few Camp Fire 
panels and the coverings of sofa cushions 
and some outdoor photographs of the Sun- 
rise Camp during former camping experi- 
ences which the girls had brought over 
with them. 

Besides these larger articles, they had 


106 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


managed to store away in their trunks the 
materials necessary for the regulation 
Camp Fire work, honor beads and the 
jewelry indicating the various orders in 
the Camp Fire. If they were to interest 
French girls in the movement, they must 
have the required paraphernalia. 

But the school at the farm house was not 
primarily a place where the French girls 
of the neighborhood were only to be in- 
terested in Camp Fire ideas. It was 
also a practical school. 

During the past year Marta Clark had 
been studying kindergarten. 

She, with Yvonne to help her, had 
charge of the tiny French children whom 
they were able to persuade to come daily 
to the big farm house. They were such 
starved, pathetic children, some of them 
almost babies ! Yet they had been through 
so much suffering, their eyes had looked 
upon such hideous sights, that many of 
them were either nervous wrecks or else 
stupefied. 

Surely there could be no better service 
to France than this effort to bring back to 


BECOMING ADJUSTED 107 


her children a measure of their natural 
happiness ! 

Yvonne and Marta devised wonderful 
games in one end of the big school room. 
At midday Yera and Peggy always ap- 
peared with a special luncheon for their 
small guests and for the older ones as well. 
Bettina Graham and Alice Ashton took 
charge of the older pupils, and in teaching 
it appeared that Alice at last had found 
her metier. 

Vera and Peggy also worked at the 
farming out of doors. 

More important than any other of Miss 
Patricia Lord’s gifts to the community 
farm and the surrounding country was a 
motor tractor, which one day had rolled 
unconcernedly into the farm house yard, 
an ugly giant, proving of as much future 
value to the poor farmers in the neighbor- 
hood as any good giant of the ancient fairy 
tales. 

Fortunately Mary Gilchrist was able to 
explain its use to the French peasants who 
had never seen the like before, and to 
show them how speedily their devastated 


108 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


land might again be turned into plowed 
fields. 

Yera and Peggy made frequent trips to 
the nearby villages, gaining the friendship 
of the country people, inviting the 
younger ones to their farm and helping in 
whatever ways they could. Now and then 
Sally Ashton went with them and some- 
times Sally played with the smallest of the 
children, but nearly always her interests 
were domestic. 

In contrast, Mary Gilchrist never re- 
mained in the house an hour if it were pos- 
sible to be away. Besides engineering the 
tractor and being a general express de- 
livery for the entire neighborhood, she had 
formed the habit of motoring into 
Soissons, which was one of the large towns 
nearby, and offering her services and the 
use of her car to the hospitals. Occa- 
sionally she spent days at a time driving 
invalided soldiers either from one hospital 
to another, or else in taking them out on 
drives for the fresh air and entertainment. 

It would therefore appear as if each 
member of the Sunrise Camp Fire unit 
had arranged her life with the idea of 


BECOMING ADJUSTED 109 


being useful in the highest degree, except 
the Camp Fire guardian. 

As a matter of fact, Mrs. Burton often 
used to say that she found no especial rea- 
son for her presence at the farm now that 
Aunt Patricia had become the really im- 
portant and authoritative guardian. 
Nevertheless, with that rare quality of 
personality which as a girl Polly O’Neill 
had infused into every interest of her life, 
there was nothing which took place at the 
farm or in the neighboring country which 
she did not in a measure inspire. 

Once their household had been adjusted, 
it was true Mrs. Burton did not do a great 
deal of the actual work. Instead, and 
oftentimes alone, she wandered from one 
end of the French countryside to the other, 
occasionally returning so late to the farm 
that Aunt Patricia would be found wait- 
ing for her at the front door in a state of 
fear and indignation. 

Nevertheless the country people began 
to watch and wait for her coming. 

After a time she brought newspapers 
with her. Then they began to gather to- 
gether in one of the larger huts to listen 


110 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


wthile she read aloud the war news, with 
not always a perfectly correct French 
accent, and yet one they could understand. 

When they were weary of the reading 
she used to talk, speaking always of the 
day when France would be free and the 
invader driven beyond her boundaries, 
never to return. And among her audience 
were a few of the old peasants who could 
recall the Franco J Prussian war. 

How amazingly these talks cheered the 
old men and women! Actually the daily 
round of toil once more became worth 
while, so near seemed the return of Victor 
and Hugo and Etienne. They would be 
happy to find the little homes restored and 
the fields green that had been drenched in 
blood. 

Occasionally Mrs. Burton made her 
audience laugh until the tears ran down 
their wrinkled faces with funny stories of 
the trenches, of their own poilus, and the 
British Tommies and the new American 
Sammees. 

Never had the great actress used her 
talent to a better purpose. 

At least it gained for her from these 


BECOMING ADJUSTED 111 


simple and almost heart broken peasants 
the eternal tribute of laughter and tears. 

Her greatest triumph was when 
Grand ’mere, one of the oldest women in 
the little village of M— , was at last per- 
suaded to pour forth her story. 

In more than three years she had not 
spoken except to answer “ Yes” or “ No,” 
or now and then to make known her simple 
needs, not since the Germans carried off 
her granddaughter, Elsie. Elsie was the 
acknowledged beauty and belle of the 
countryside and engaged to marry Cap- 
tain Frangois Dupis, who was fighting 
with his regiment at Verdun. 

Mrs. Burton had gotten into the habit 
of stopping at Grand ’mere’s tiny hut, 
which her neighbors had restored. At 
first she brought the old woman little gifts 
of food in which she seemed not to take 
the least interest. Now and then she talked 
to her, although the old woman seldom re- 
plied except to nod her head with grave 
courtesy. 

Then one day without any warning as 
Mrs. Burton was standing near, Grand ’- 
mere drew her new friend down into her 


112 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


lap and poured out her heart-broken story. 
It left the younger woman ill and shaken. 

Afterwards returning late to the farm 
alone and entirely unafraid, so completely 
had the country people become her friend, 
Mrs. Burton wondered what had given the 
French nation its present faith and cour- 
age. Nothing approaching it has the 
world ever before witnessed! Then she 
recalled that having paid so dearly for 
their freedom in those mad days of the 
revolution, the French people would never 
again relinquish the supreme gift of 
human liberty. 


CHAPTER VIII 


The Old Chateau 

O NE afternoon the French farm 
house was deserted except for 
Sally Ashton, Mere ’Toinette and 
Miss Patricia. 

As a matter of fact, Miss Patricia was 
not in the house, but in the farm yard 
which was separated from the house by a 
newly planted kitchen garden. It was 
here that she spent the greater part of her 
time working far more diligently than if 
she had been engaged for a few dollars a 
week. Yet in Massachusetts Miss Patricia 
Lord’s three-hundred-acre farm was one 
of the prides of the state. In ordinary 
times she was accustomed to employing 
from twenty-five to fifty men, although al- 
ways Miss Patricia acted as her own over- 
seer. 

As she had announced, for the present 
she had managed to secure the services of 
an old French peasant, nearer seventy 

( 113 ) 


114 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


years of age than sixty, to act as her assist- 
ant. But Jean was possessed of a deter- 
mination of character only equaled by 
Miss Patricia’s. Not a word of any lan- 
guage did he know except French, while 
Miss Patricia’s French was one of the 
mysteries past finding out. Also J ean was 
nearly stone deaf. This misfortune really 
served as an advantage in his relation with 
Miss Patricia, as he never did anything at 
the time or in the way she ordered him to 
do it, there was consolation in the thought 
that he had not understood the order. 
Jean had his own ideas with regard to 
farming matters and an experience which 
had lasted through more than half a cen- 
tury. 

Therefore with the assistance of Peggy 
and Vera the outdoor work on the Sunrise 
Camp Fire farm was progressing with 
surprising success. The supply of live- 
stock had been increased by a second ship- 
ment from the United States. This ship- 
ment Miss Patricia had divided with her 
French neighbors. 

Beside old J ean there was at this time 
another rebel in Miss Patricia’s camp, 


THE OLD CHATEAU 


115 


Sally Ashton. The other girls were fre- 
quently annoyed by the old lady, neverthe- 
less, appreciating her gallant qualities and 
for the sake of their Camp Fire guardian, 
they usually agreed to her demands when 
it was impossible to evade them. But 
Sally was not fond of doing anything she 
was told to do. Not that Sally was dis- 
agreeable, and it was not in her nature 
Ito argue, she simply ignored either sug- 
gestions or commands, always pursuing 
her own sweet way. 

This afternoon, for example, several of 
the girls had invited her to walk with them 
to one of the French villages. Once a 
week they distributed loaves of bread and 
a few grocery supplies to the neediest of 
the peasants, those who had been unable 
to rebuild their huts or find regular occu- 
pation. Sally had declined with entire 
frankness. She had done her duty by 
making the bread for the others to give 
away and more successfully than any one 
of the girls could have made it. She dis- 
liked long, fatiguing walks. 

Mrs. Burton had gone off alone on one 
of her dramatic pilgrimages. 


116 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Mary Gilchrist had again motored into 
Soissons and Sally would have enjoyed ac- 
companying her. To have driven about 
through the French country with conval- 
escent soldiers would have been extremely 
entertaining. But Mary had not asked 
her, preferring to take Yvonne, whom the 
American girls all appeared to adore. 

So in consequence Sally was vexed and 
a little jealous. 

Observing the others depart and that 
apparently Sally had nothing of import- 
ance to occupy her, Miss Patricia had 
ordered her to come out into the yard and 
help with the young chickens. They 
seemed to be afflicted with some uncom- 
fortable moulting disease. 

To this invitation Sally had made no 
reply. She especially disliked foolish, 
feathery outdoor things and had no inten- 
tion of sacrificing her well-earned leisure. 
The school had a semi- weekly half holiday 
and for once the house was quiet. 

Yet after a little more than an hour of 
leisure, Sally found herself bored. Many 
times of late she had missed her old friend- 
ship with Gerry Williams, since this was 


THE OLD GELAJTEATJ 


117 


her first Camp Fire experience without 
Gerry, who had married Felipe Morris 
the summer before in California. 

At least Gerry occasionally had been 
frivolous ! Certainly these were war 
times and yet could one be serious forever 
and ever, without an intermission? The 
other Camp Fire girls now and then got 
upon Sally’s nerves. 

As she was seldom warm enough these 
days, covered with her steamer blanket 
Sally had been curled up on the bed in her 
room which she shared with her sister. 
First she had taken a short nap and then 
attempted to read a French novel which 
she had discovered in the attic of the farm. 
The French puzzled her and it was tire- 
some to have to consult a dictionary. So 
Sally lay still for a few moments listening 
to Mere ’Toinette singing the Marseillaise 
in a cracked old voice as she went about 
her work downstairs. 

Finally, stretching in a characteristic- 
ally indolent fashion, Sally rose and 
walked over to a window. She could only 
see through one small opening. All the 
glass in the countryside had been smashed 


118 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


by the terrific bombardments, and as there 
was no glass to be had for restoring the 
windows, glazed paper had been pasted 
over the frames. The one small aperture 
had been left for observation of climate 
and scenery. 

Even without her birdseye view, Sally 
was conscious that the sun was shining 
brilliantly. A long streak had shone 
through the glazed paper and lay across 
her bed. 

She decided that she might enjoy a short 
walk. She really had forgotten Mrs. Bur- 
ton’s suggestion that no one of the girls 
leave the farm alone and had no thought 
of deliberately breaking an unwritten law. 

Mere ’Toinette and Sally had become 
devoted friends and also there was an un- 
spoken bond of sympathy between her and 
Jean, expressed only by the way in which 
the old man looked at her and in certain 
dry chucklings in his throat and shakings 
of his head. 

As Sally was about to leave the front 
door suddenly Mere ’Toinette appeared, to 
present her with a little package of freshly 
baked fruit muffins. Sally’s appetite in 


THE OLD CHATEAU 


119 


war times, when everybody was compelled 
to live upon such short rations, was a 
standing household joke and one which 
she deeply resented. Mere ’Toinette re- 
sented the point of view equally, prefer- 
ring Sally to any one of the other girls, 
and also it was her idea that the good 
things of this world are created only for 
the young. There was no measure to her 
own self-sacrifice. 

A few yards beyond the house Sally dis- 
covered old Jean, who was doubtless com- 
ing to find her, as he bore in his hand a 
French fleur-de-lis, the national wild 
flower, which he had found growing in a 
field as hardy and unconquerable as the 
French spirit. 

Sally accepted his offering with the 
smile of gratitude which seemed always a 
sufficient reward for her many masculine 
admirers. 

With Mere ’Toinette’s gift in her Camp 
Fire knapsack and with Jean’s flower 
thrust into her belt, Sally then made a 
fresh start. She had not thought of going 
far, as the roads and fields were in too 
disagreeable a condition. 


120 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Pausing about an eighth of a mile from 
the farm house, she considered whether 
after all it were worth while to remain out 
of doors. Even if the afternoon were en- 
chanting, walking through the heavy up- 
turned soil was unpleasant. 

Then by accident Sally chanced to ob- 
serve the ruins of the old French chateau 
shining under the rays of the winter sun. 

It was not far away and suddenly she 
made up her mind to go upon an explor- 
ing tour. Half a dozen times in the ‘past 
few weeks the Camp Fire girls had dis- 
cussed paying a visit to the chateau to see 
what interesting discoveries they might 
unearth among the ruins. But no one of 
them had so far had the opportunity. 

Ordinarily Sally Ashton was the least 
experimental of the entire group of girls. 
Instinctively, as a type of the feminine, 
home-staying woman, she disliked the 
many adventurous members of her own 
sisterhood. With not a great deal of 
imagination, Sally’s views of romance 
were practical and matter of fact. Young 
men fell in love with one and she had no 
idea of how many lovers one might have 


THE OLD CHATEAU 


121 


and no thought of limiting the number so 
far as she was personally concerned. 
Then among the number one selected the 
man who would make the most comfort- 
able and agreeable husband, married him, 
had children and was happy ever after- 
wards. So you see, a romance which 
might bring sorrow as well as happiness 
had no place in Sally Ashton’s practical 
scheme of life. 

Therefore the fates must have driven 
her to the old French chateau on this win- 
ter afternoon. 

The walk itself occupied about half an 
hour. Around the chateau in times past 
there had been a moat. For their own con- 
venience the German troops quartered at 
the old place had left the bridge over the 
moat undisturbed, else Sally would never 
have hazarded a dangerous crossing. 

The house had been built of gray stone 
and it was difficult to imagine how the 
enemy had managed so completely to re- 
duce it to ruins. An explosion of dyna- 
mite must have been employed, for the 
chateau appeared to have fallen as if it 
had been destroyed by an earthquake. 



The Figure Was that of a Young Soldier. 

( 122 ) 


THE OLD OHA1TEAU 123 


Certain portions of the outer walls re- 
mained standing, but the towers in the 
center had caved in upon the interior of 
the house. 

As Sally drew near she felt a little deso- 
late and yet she was not frightened, al- 
though a proverbial coward. 

The place appeared too abandoned to 
fear that any living thing could be in its 
vicinity. It was only that one felt the pity 
of the destruction of this ancient and beau- 
tiful home. 

The waste and confusion of war 
troubled Sally as it does all women. So 
hard it is to see why destruction is neces- 
sary to the growth and development of 
human history ! 

Wondering what had become of the 
French family who formerly had lived in 
the chateau before the outbreak of the 
war, Sally walked up closer to the ruins. 
From a space between two walls, forming 
an insecure arch, a bird darted out into the 
daylight. N ot ordinarily influenced by the 
beauties of nature or by unexpected ex- 
pressions of her moods, nevertheless Sally 
uttered a cry of enchantment. 


124 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Between the walls slie had spied the 
ruins of an old French drawing room. The 
bird must have flown through the opening 
into the room and then quickly out again 
into the sunshine. 

A little table remained standing with an 
open book upon it, laid face down. There 
was a rug on the floor, now thick with 
mould, and yet it was a rare Aubusson 
rug with sturdy cupids trailing flowery 
vines across its surface. There were 
pieces of broken furniture and bric-a-brac 
strewn over the floor. 

Sally must have continued staring in- 
side the room for several moments before 
she slowly became aware that there was 
a human figure seated in a chair in the 
shadow near one of the half fallen walls. 

The figure was that of a young soldier. 
He was asleep when Sally discovered him 
and incredibly dirty. His hair was long 
and matted, hanging thick over his fore- 
head. One arm was wrapped in a soiled 
bandage. 

Yet Sally did not feel frightened, only 
faint and ill for an instant from pity. 

Coming to their farm house after a few 


THE OLD CHATEAU 125 


days in Paris, Sally had seen trains filled 
with wounded soldiers. In Paris she also 
had noticed blinded and invalided men 
being led along the streets by their fam- 
ilies or friends, yet never so piteous a fig- 
ure as this. 


CHAPTER IX 


A Mystery 

S ALLY’S little cry of astonishment 
must have awakened the soldier. 
The terror on his face when he 
first beheld her took away any thought of 
fear from the girl. Besides it was all too 
strange! Why should he, a soldier, be 
afraid, and of her? And why should he 
be in hiding in this queer tumble-down old 
place? For he was in hiding, there was 
no doubt of this from his furtive manner. 

Some instinct in Sally, or perhaps the 
fact that she had seen so much hunger 
since her arrival in this portion of France, 
made her immediately take out her little 
package of bread which Mere ’Toinette 
had given her and thrust it forward. 

She was standing framed in the arch 
made by the two fallen walls, not having 
moved since the moment of her amazing 
discovery. 

The soldier’s hunger was greater than 
( 126 ) 


A MYSTERY 


127j 


his fear, for he almost snatched the food 
from Sally’s hands and, as he ate it she 
could not bear watching him. There is 
something dreadful in the sight of a 
human being ravenously hungry. 

Afterwards, when he did not speaE, 
Sally found herself making the first re- 
marks, and unconsciously and stupidly, 
not realizing what she was doing at the 
moment, she spoke in English. 

The next instant, to her surprise, the 
soldier replied in the same tongue, al- 
though it seemed to Sally that he spoke 
with a foreign accent, what the accent was 
she did not know. Sally had not a great 
deal of experience, neither was she par- 
ticularly clever. 

“What are you doing here?” is what 
she naturally inquired. 

The soldier hesitated and placed his 
hand to his forehead, looking at the girl 
dazedly. 

“Why am I hiding here?” he repeated. 
Then almost childishly he went on: “I 
am hiding, hiding because no one must 
find me, else I would be shot at once. I 


128 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


don’t know how long I have been here 
alone. I am very cold. ” 

“But I don’t understand your reason,” 
Sally argued. “Why don’t you find some 
one to take care of you? You cannot be 
living here; besides you could not have 
been here long without food or water or 
you would have died.” 

“But I have had a little food and 
water,” the soldier replied. “I found a 
few cans of food in a closet and there is 
water in one of the rooms. ” 

His voice had a complaining note which 
was an expression of suffering if one had 
understood. Then his face was feverish 
and wretched. 

“But you don’t look as if you had used 
much water,” Sally remarked in her usual 
matter-of-fact fashion. She had a way of 
pursuing her own first idea without being 
influenced by other considerations. 

“It is hard work when one’s arm is like 
this,” the soldier returned fretfully. 

Again Sally surveyed the soiled ban- 
dage with disfavor. Apparently it had 
not been changed in many days, since it 
was encrusted with dirt and blood and 


A MYSTERY 


129 


having slipped had been pulled awkwardly 
back into place. 

Tempermentally, Sally Ashton hated 
the eight of blood and suffering. In the 
years of the Camp Fire training she had 
been obliged to study first aid, but she had 
left the practical application to the other 
girls. Her own tastes were domestic and 
she therefore had devoted her time to 
domestic affairs. 

Now something must be done for the 
soldier whose presence in the old chateau 
and whose behavior were equally puzzling, 
and as there was no one else, Sally had no 
idea of shirking the immediate task. In 
her Camp Fire kit she always carried first 
aid supplies. 

“If you will go to the room where you 
found the water and wash your arm as 
thoroughly as you can I will put on a fresh 
bandage for you,” she offered. “Don’t 
argue and don’t be long, for something 
simply has to be done for you, you are in 
such a dreadful condition.” 

Even in the midst of feeling a little like 
Florence Nightingale, Sally preserved a 
due amount of caution. She had no idea 


130 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


of wandering about a tumble-down cha- 
teau with a strange soldier. In reality she 
was not so much afraid of him as of the 
house itself. She had the impression that 
the walls were ready to topple down and 
bury her. 

When the soldier did not move, Sally 
beckoned him imperiously toward the open 
arch where she had remained standing 
just outside the walls. 

“ You are to come here, while I take off 
the old bandage. No one will see you and 
I am afraid to enter so dangerous a 
place.” 

The man obeyed, and Sally cut away the 
soiled linen, trying not to get too distinct 
an impression of the wound underneath. 
Yet what she saw alarmed her sufficiently, 
for she knew enough to realize that the 
wound required more scientific treatment 
than she felt able to give. “Now go and 
wash your arm,” she directed, and with- 
out a word he went off. 

During the ten minutes her self-imposed 
patient remained away, Sally seriously 
considered his puzzling situation and de- 
termined upon the advice she would offer. 


A MYSTERY 


131 


In the first place, so far he had given 
her no explanation for his conduct. 

Why was he in concealment? The 
possibility that the soldier might have 
committed a wrong which made it incum- 
bent that he hide from justice did not 
occur to Sally. She simply determined 
that they would discuss the subject to some 
satisfactory end on his return. 

The young man did look much better, 
having made an effort to cleanse his face 
as well as his wound, but as Sally took hold 
of his hand before beginning her task, 
she was startled to discover that he was 
suffering from a fever through neglect of 
his injury. This made her the more de- 
termined. Although appreciating her 
own inefficiency and disliking the work, 
there was nothing to be done at present 
but to go ahead with her own simple first- 
aid treatment. She had a bottle of anti- 
septic and clean surgical gauze. 

As she wound the bandage, wishing she 
(had taken the trouble to learn the art 
more skilfully, Sally announced : 

“You must see a physician about your 
arm as soon as possible. You never have 


132 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


explained to me why you are hiding here. 
But in any case you cannot remain when 
you are ill and hungry and cold and re- 
quire a great deal of attention. You must 
go into one of the villages to a hospital. 
While you were away I have been think- 
ing what to do. You look to me too ill to 
walk very far and, as I am living not more 
than half a mile away, I will go back to 
our farm and tell my friends about you. 
Later I think I can arrange to come back 
for you in a motor and then we will drive 
you to one of the hospitals. I don’t know 
as much about the French hospitals as my 
friends do, but of course everybody is 
anxious to do whatever is possible for the 
Allied soldiers.” 

Sally placed a certain amount of stress 
on the expression “Allied soldiers”, but 
never for an instant believing in the pos- 
sibility that her patient could belong to an 
enemy nationality. 

“If you tell anyone you have discovered 
me here in hiding, it will be the last of 
me,” the soldier declared. 

By this time Sally was beginning to be 
troubled. Why did the young man look 


A MYSTERY 


133 


and speak so strangely ? He seemed con- 
fused and worried and either unable to ex- 
plain his actions, or else unwilling. Yet 
somehow one had the impression that he 
was a gentleman and there need be no fear 
of any lack of personal courtesy. 

It was possible from his appearance to 
believe that he might be suffering from a 
mental breakdown. Sally recalled that 
many of the soldiers were affected in this 
way from shell shock or the long strain of 
battle. 

“I suppose I must tell you something. 
In any case, I have to trust my fate in 
your hands and I know there is not one 
person in a thousand who would spare me. 
I was a prisoner and escaped from my 
captors. I don’t know: how I discovered 
this old house. I don’t know how long I 
have been wandering about the country 
before I came here, only that I hid myself 
in the daytime and stumbled around seek- 
ing a place of refuge at night. If you 
report me I suppose I will not be allowed 
even a soldier ’s death. I shall probably be 
hung.” 

Suddenly the soldier laughed, such an 


134 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


unhappy, curious laugh that Sally had but 
one desire and that was to escape from the 
chateau and her strange companion at 
once and forever. Yet in spite of his vague 
and uncertain expression, the soldier’s 
eyes were dark and fine and his features 
well cut. He was merely thin and hag- 
gard and dirty from his recent experi- 
ences. 

From his uniform it was impossible to 
iguess anything ; at least, it was impossible 
for Sally, who had but scant information 
with regard to military accoutrements. 

But even in the face of his confession 
she was not considering the soldier’s 
nationality. He looked so miserable and 
ill, so like a sick boy, that the maternal 
spirit which was really strongly rooted in 
Sally Ashton’s nature awakened. He 
could scarcely stand as he talked to her. 

“ Please sit down. I don’t know what 
you are to do,;” she remonstrated. “I 
don’t know why you ran away or from 
whom, but no fate could be much worse 
than starving to death here in this old 
place alone. Yet certainly I don’t want 
to give you up to— to anybody,” she con- 


A MYSTERY 


135 


eluded lamely, as a matter of fact not 
knowing to whom one should report a run- 
away soldier. 

This was a different Sally Ashton from 
the girl her family and friends ordinarily 
knew. The evanescent dimple had dis- 
appeared entirely and also the indolent 
expression in her golden brown eyes. She 
was frowning and her lips were closed in 
a firmer line. 

At her suggestion the soldier had re- 
turned to the chair which he had been 
occupying at the moment of her intrusion. 
But Sally saw that although he was seated 
he was swaying a little and that again he 
had put up his uninjured arm to his head. 

“ Perhaps I can get away from here, if 
you will help me. I have escaped being 
caught so far. I only ask you to bring 
me a little food. Tbmorrow I shall be 
stronger.’ ’ 

Unconsciously Sally sighed. What fate 
had ever driven her forth into this unde- 
sired adventure? 

She did not like to aid a runaway 
prisoner, nor did she wish him to meet the 


136 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


disagreeable end he had suggested through 
any act of hers. 

Any other one of the Camp Fire girls, 
Sally believed, would have given the sol- 
dier a lecture on the high ideals of patriot- 
ism, or of meeting with proper fortitude 
whatever fate might overtake him. At 
least he would have been required to 
divulge his nationality, and if he were an 
enemy, of course there could be no hesi- 
tation in delivering him to justice. 

However, Sally only found herself an- 
swering : 

“Yes, I suppose I can manage to bring 
you something to eat once more. But I 
cannot say when I can get here without 
anyone’s knowing, so you must stay where 
you can hear when I call. Afterwards you 
must promise me to go away. I don’t 
know what I ought to do about you.” 

Sally had gone a few yards from the 
chateau when she glanced back an instant 
toward the old stone ruins. The atmo- 
sphere of the afternoon had changed, the 
sun was no longer shining and the chateau 
lay deep in shadow. 

A cold wind was blowing across the 


A MYSTERY 


137 


desolate fields. Sally was not ordinarily 
impressionable, yet at this moment she felt 
a curious sense of foreboding. 


CHAPTEK X 


Breakers Ahead 
LITTLE tired and also because 



her attention was occupied with 


her recent experience, Sally did 
not choose her way over the rough country- 
side so carefully and therefore managed 
to take a much longer time for her return 
to the farm. 

Now that the sun had disappeared, the 
country-side seemed to have grown de- 
pressingly desolate. In the gray after- 
noon light the blackened tree trunks 
which had been partly burned were stark 
and ugly. 

Under ordinary circumstances Sally 
was particularly susceptible to physical 
discomfort, yet this afternoon she was too 
concerned over her problem to be more 
than vaguely disturbed by her surround- 
ings. 

One thought continually assailed her. 
[Would it be possible to appear among the 


( 138 ) 


BREAKERS AHEAD 


139 


other girls looking and behaving as if 
nothing unusual had occurred ? For Sally 
had an honest and profound conviction 
that she had no talent for deception. How 
could she realize that she belonged to the 
type of women with whom dissimulation is 
a fine art once the exigencies of a situation 
required it? She had come to one definite 
conclusion, she would not betray the pres- 
ence of the runaway soldier in the chateau 
for at least another twenty-four hours. 
She would take him food the next day and 
he might have the opportunity to attempt 
an escape. In all probability he would 
soon be captured and punished, and this 
was doubtless the fate he deserved; never- 
theless Sally was glad that, in a cowardly 
fashion, she would not be directly respon- 
sible. 

She looked forward to the evening and 
the next day with no joy, bitterly regret- 
ting that she had not spent her leisure 
hours in resting and reading as she had at 
first intended. Surely repose and a con- 
tented spirit were more to be desired than 
unexpected adventures! 

Weary and dispirited, Sally finally ar- 


140 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


rived at home, only to be met in the front 
hall by Miss Patricia, who at once showed 
signs of an approaching storm. 

As a matter of fact, she was excessively 
annoyed over a piece of information she 
had just received, so it was unfortunate 
that Sally should return at a moment 
when she must bear the brunt of it. 

Moving a little listlessly up the broad 
uncarpeted stairs toward the bedroom she 
shared with her sister, the girl scarcely 
noticed the older woman ’s presence. She 
was hoping that Alice had not yet returned 
and that she might have a few moments 
to herself. 

Miss Patricia opened the attack with 
her usual vigor. 

“ What do you mean, Sally, by going off 
this afternoon, knowing that I particular- 
ly needed your help? You must under- 
stand that it is highly improper for a 
young girl to tramp about over this 
French country alone. Even if Polly Bur- 
ton has permitted you Camp Fire girls the 
most extraordinary amount of freedom, 
she surely has realized this and warned 
you against such indiscretion. There is 


BREAKERS AHEAD 


141 


no way of guessing into what difficulty 
you may have already managed to en- 
tangle yourself !” 

Sally felt herself flushing until her 
clear skin was suffused with glowing color. 

“I am sorry, Miss Patricia,’ ’ she said, 
“but remember that I am not a child and 
cannot have you speak to me as if I were 
a disobedient one. I have been for a walk 

and ” 

But fortunately Sally was not required 
to complete her sentence. Suddenly Mrs. 
Burton had appeared out of her bedroom 
and began to hurry downstairs. 

“Sally !” she called with a suggestion of 
appeal in her voice. “The excitement over 
your disappearance is my fault, so please 
don’t you and Aunt Patricia quarrel. A 
little while ago when I returned home 
and Mere ’Toinette told me that you had 
gone out alone and she did not know in 
what direction, why, I became uneasy. 
You will not again, will you ? Really I am 
afraid it is not safe for you children, al- 
though with me of course the case is dif- 
ferent. Aunt Patricia is not disposed to 
think so, forgetting my advanced age. 


142 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Still, Sally, no matter how enthusiastic we 
may feel over our work here in the shell- 
torn area of France, we must remember 
these are war times when one never knows 
what may happen next. Besides, the 
French do not always understand our 
American ideas of liberty for young 
girls.” 

By this time having reached the foot of 
the stairs, Mrs. Burton slipped her hand 
inside Sally’s, glancing back with a 
slightly amused and slightly apologetic ex- 
pression toward Miss Patricia. 

“Really, Aunt Patricia, I do regret 
your being so annoyed, yet you must not 
take my news too seriously. Our guests 
are sure not to remain with us long.” 

To the latter part of her Camp Fire 
guardian’s remark Sally Ashton paid not 
the slightest heed, so concerned was she 
with the first part of her speech. 

Why of all times should this question 
of her personal liberty come up for dis- 
cussion this afternoon? Of her own free 
choice Sally felt convinced that she would 
never willingly go out alone. Neverthe- 
less, how was she to keep her word to the 


BREAKERS AHEAD 


143 


young soldier unless she returned next 
day to the chateau with the food she had 
promised him and without confiding the 
fact to any one else? Oh, why had she 
allowed herself to be drawn into this reck- 
less promise? At this moment if she 
could only slip into her Camp Fire 
guardian’s room and ask her advice! 
Miss Patricia would insist that if the 
soldier were a deserter he straightway 
should be brought to justice. But Sally 
understood her Camp Fire guardian well 
enough to appreciate that, once hearing 
the soldier in hiding was ill and wounded, 
she would be as reluctant as Sally herself 
to follow her manifest duty. 

Confidence on this particular subject 
was for the present out of the question, 
and as soon as she conveniently could 
Sally disappeared inside her own room. 
Later, when the other girls had returned, 
weary from their long errand of mercy in 
the next village and yet immensely inter- 
ested in their experience, Sally pretended 
to have a slight headache. 

During supper she scarcely listened to 
the ever steady stream of conversation 


144 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


which flowed unceasingly each evening. 
In the daytime the American newcomers 
to the old French farm on the Aisne were 
too much engaged to allow opportunity 
for conversation. After supper they 
gathered in their improvised sitting-room 
to talk until their early bedtime. 

The sitting-room was oddly furnished 
with whatever furniture could be rescued 
after the commandeering of the more val- 
uable possessions by the Germans. 

In the attic a few broken chairs stored 
away for years had been brought down and 
repaired. These were beautiful pieces of 
furniture in conspicuous contrast to the 
couches and stools which originally had 
arrived at the farm as large wooden boxes 
containing provisions. 

With old Jean’s assistance, Peggy and 
Vera had developed unexpected talents as 
carpenters. 

Moreover, whatever her faults, Miss 
Patricia Lord was an unfailing source of 
supply. During her brief stay in Paris, 
without mentioning the fact to any one 
else, she had purchased thirty yards of old 
blue and rose cretonne, perhaps with the 


BREAKERS AHEAD 


145 


knowledge that beauty even of the simplest 
kind helps one to happiness and accom- 
plishment. 

Therefore the two couches in the sitting- 
room were covered with the cretonne, and 
half a dozen box chairs; and there were 
cretonne valances at the windows. 

Save a single old lamp which had been 
left in the sitting-room, it had no other 
ornaments. 

The lamp was of bronze and bore the 
figure of a genie holding the stand, so that 
obviously it had been christened “ Alad- 
din’s lamp.” It was supposed to gratify 
whatever wish one expressed, but the 
Camp Fire girls were too busy with the 
interests of other people at present to 
spend much time in considering their per- 
sonal desires. 

There was one other object of interest 
in the room, a large photograph of the 
ruined Rheims Cathedral, which Mrs. 
Burton had bought in the neighborhood 
of Rheims not long before. The classic 
French city was not many miles from the 
present home of the group of American 
girls. 


146 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


As beautiful almost in destruction as it 
had been in its former glory, the photo- 
graph stood as a symbol of the imperish- 
able beauty of French art. Also it repre- 
sented another symbol. Here on the white 
wooden mantel of the French farm house 
“on the field of honor’ ’ it called to the 
American people to continue their work 
for the relief and the restoration of 
France. 

Tonight as she lay resting upon one of 
the couches, dressed in a simple dinner 
dress of some soft violet material, Mrs. 
Burton had glanced several times toward 
the photograph. 

As a tribute to her headache and a gen- 
eral disinclination to associate with her 
companions, Sally had been permitted to 
occupy the other couch which stood on the 
opposite side of the room. 

In their one large chair, close to the 
table with the lamp, Aunt Patricia sat 
knitting with her usual vigor and deter- 
mination. Aside from Sally, the Camp 
Fire girls were grouped about near her. 

After having been quiet for the past 
half hour, Mrs. Burton suddenly asked: 


BREAKERS AHEAD 


147 


u Would any of you care to hear a poem 
concerning the destruction of the Cathe- 
dral at Rheims, written by a Kentucky 
woman? A friend sent it to me and it 
was so exquisite I have lately memorized 
it. In the last few moments while I have 
been looking at our photograph I have 
repeated the lines to myself. I wonder if 
it would interest you?” 

The girls replied in a chorus of acqui- 
escence, but Mrs. Burton did not venture 
to begin until she also had received a nod 
of agreement from Aunt Patricia. Be- 
tween the older and younger woman there 
was a bond of strong affection. Neverthe- 
less, mingled with Mrs. Burton’s love and 
respect, there was also a certain humorous 
appreciation. 

Since their arrival in France the Camp 
Fire girls had been compelled to spend 
their evenings indoors. This was unlike 
their former custom. 

Recently, when they had grown weary 
of talking, perhaps for only a half hour 
before bedtime, some one of them had 
fallen into the habit of reading aloud to 
the others. 


148 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Apart from the pleasure, Mrs. Burton 
regarded this as useful education. 

Not a great many newspapers and 
magazines reached the old farm house in 
comparison with other days at camp ; 
nevertheless they arrived in sufficient 
number both from the United States and 
Paris to keep one fairly in touch with 
world movements. The reading of the 
French papers and magazines was of 
course especially good practice. 

Yet, as a matter of fact, Mrs. Burton 
could seldom be persuaded to be anything 
save a listener. Aifter reading or talking 
tthe greater part of the day to her new 
French friends, she was apt to be worn 
out by evening. 

Tonight she began to speak in a low 
voice as if she were tired, yet as her little 
audience was so near it did not matter and 
her voice never failed in its beautiful 
quality. 

“Rheims 

“It was a people’s church — stout, plain folk they, 
Wanting their own catherdal, not the king’s 
Nor prelate’s, nor great noble’s. On the walls, 

On porch and arch and doorway — see, the saints 


BREAKERS AHEAD 


149 


Have the plain people’s faces. That sweet Virgin 
Was young Marie, who lived around the comer, 
And whom the sculptor knew. From time to time 
He saw her at her work, or with her babe, 

So gay, so dainty, smiling at the child. 

That sturdy Peter — Peter of the keys — 

He was old Jean, the Breton fisherman, 

Who, somehow, made his way here from the coast 
And lived here many years, yet kept withal 
The look of the great sea and his great nets. 

And John there, the beloved, Was Etienne, 

And good St. James was Francois — brothers they, 
And had a small, clean bakeshop, where they sold 
Bread, cakes and little pies. Well, so it went ! 
These were not Italy’s saints, nor yet the gods, 
Majestic, calm, unmoved, of ancient Greece. 

Ho, they were only townsfolk, common people, 
And graced a common church — that stood and 
stood 

Through war and fire and pestilence, through 
ravage 

Of time and kings and conquerors, till at last 
The century dawned which promised common men 
The things they long had hoped for! 

O the time 

Showed a fair face, was daughter of great Demos, 
Flamboyant, bore a light, laughed loud and free, 
And feared not any man — until — until — 

There sprang a mailed figure from a throne, 
Gorgeous, imperial, glowing — a monstrosity 
Magnificent as death and as death terrible. 

It walked these aisles and saw the humble ones, 


150 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Peter the fisherman, James and John, the shop- 
keepers, 

And Mary, sweet, gay, innocent and poor. 

Loud did it laugh and long. ‘ These peaceful folk ! 
What place have they in my great armed world V 
Then with its thunderbolts of fire it drove 
These saints from out their places — breaking roof, 
Wall, window, portal — and the great grave arch 
Smoked with the awful funeral smoke of doom. 

“Thus died they and their church — but from the 
wreck 

Of fire and smoke and broken wood and stone 
There rose a figure greater far than they — 

Their Lord, who dwells within no house of hands; 
Whose beauty hath no need of any form ! 

Out from the fire He passed, and round Him went 
Marie and Jean and Etienne and Francois, 

And they went singing, singing, through their 
Prance — 

And Italy — and England — and the world !” 

When Mrs. Burton began her recitation 
she sat up on the edge of her couch and 
leaning forward kept her eyes fastened 
sometimes on the floor, sometimes on the 
picture of the great cathedral. Now and 
then her gaze quickly swept the faces of 
her audience. 

She was wondering if the poem had 


BREAKERS AHEAD 


151 


bored any one of them. It was a long 
poem and perhaps its spiritual meaning 
would not be altogether plain. 

However, as the poem reached its con- 
clusion, and her voice with its dramatic 
power and sweetness made the picture of 
the peasant people and their peasant 
church a visible and compelling thing, she 
no longer felt fearful. 

The faces of the girls before her were 
fine and serious ; Bettina and Marta, who 
cared more for poetry and art than the 
others, had flushed and their eyes were 
filled with tears. 

As Mrs. Burton finished, it was as if one 
could actually hear the new spirit of 
brotherhood which Christ preached two 
thousand years ago, “ singing, singing, 
through the world.’ ’ 

Yet in the silence which was a fitting 
tribute to the poem, suddenly the entire 
audience broke into a ripple of laughter. 
From the far side of the room a gentle 
snore had been Sally Ashton’s sole expres- 
sion of appreciation. 

Following the sound of the laughter, 
Sally sat up and began blinking her soft 


152 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


golden brown eyes, looking for all the 
world like a sleepy kitten. 

“I think you had far better give your- 
self up to justice and have someone take 
care of you properly/ ’ she announced in 
a far-away voice. This was the conclusion 
which Sally had just reached at the end 
of her half-sleeping and half-waking 
dream of her runaway soldier. 

She did not know that she was to make 
such an extraordinary remark aloud, but 
fortunately no one had the faintest knowl- 
edge of her meaning. 

Indeed, no one really heard her, as the 
girls were too amused over Sally’s char- 
acteristic habit of falling asleep on occa- 
sions when conversation or entertainment 
bored her. 

Immediately after the laughter, Sally, 
not understanding its cause, nevertheless 
arose and began her journey to bed. She 
was annoyed but not seriously, since in 
waking she had reached the conclusion she 
desired. In the morning at dawn, before 
the other members of her household were 
awake, she would make a second trip to 
the chateau. 


BREAKERS AHEAD 


153 


She would carry provisions to the sol- 
dier and then advise him to leave the 
neighborhood immediately. Unless he 
departed of his own free will, taking his 
chances as he must, she then would be 
compelled to tell that he was in hiding. 


CHAPTER XI 


The Return 

B EFORE daylight Sally rose softly 
and began to dress, feeling ex- 
tremely irritated. She disliked get- 
ting up in the mornings and this scheme 
of arising early was so annoying that it 
had kept her awake the greater part of the 
night. 

Besides she had but little hope of not 
arousing Alice. Once as she was search- 
ing quietly on the floor for her shoes, Alice 
sat up, asking severely : 

“What on earth are you doing, Sally 
Ashton ? If you are not ill, come on back 
to bed. If you are ill, come back in any 
case and let me get whatever it is you de- 
sire.” 

Sally murmured something vague and 
indeterminate about endeavoring to dis- 
cover a lost pillow and Alice fell comfort- 
ably asleep again, nor did she awaken 

( 154 ) 


THE RETURN 


155 


when Sally at last slipped out of the room 
and down stairs. 

In case any one else heard her or called, 
she had made up her mind to explain that 
she was seeing about some preparation for 
breakfast. As “ housekeeper extraordin- 
ary’ J this statement might be believed, 
even if it were unlike her to start her min- 
istrations so early. 

But no one was disturbed and Sally got 
her little bundle of provisions together 
quickly, since she knew just where the 
supplies of food were kept. They had not 
a great deal, considering the demands that 
were constantly being made upon them by 
the people in the neighborhood who were 
less well off, so Sally felt that she had not 
the right to be over-generous, and made 
her selections with due discretion. 

It was more than ever her determination 
to demand that the soldier leave the cha- 
teau at once this morning, if he could be 
induced to see the wisdom of such a pro- 
ceeding, but if not by nightfall. 

Also Sally had made up her mind to ask 
no questions. If the soldier were arrested 


156 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


later she wished to know as little as pos- 
sible concerning him. 

He had spoken of being captured and of 
running away from his captors. This 
suggested that he was a German or an 
Austrian who had been taken prisoner and 
was trying to effect an escape. If this 
were true Sally felt a fierce condemnation 
of her own cowardly attitude. But was it 
not remotely possible that the soldier had 
committed some offense and had then run 
away from his own regiment ? However, 
this point of view was but little in his 
favor. As he spoke English with an 
accent and as foreign accents were all of 
an equal mystification to Sally, it was pos- 
sible that she need never know his origin. 

Outdoors and slipping through the gar- 
den, to Sally’s surprise and consternation 
she nearly ran into old Jean, who ap- 
peared to have been up all night caring 
for his stock. 

He looked like a gnome with his wrinkled 
skin, his little eyes, his muddy gray hair 
and even his clothes almost of a color with 
the earth. 

He was carrying a lantern, but instead 


THE RETURN 


157 


of speaking beckoned mysteriously to 
Sally to follow him out to Miss Patricia’s 
bam, where a half dozen cows were now 
installed. 

Not knowing what else to do, Sally stood 
by until she found herself presented with 
a small pail of milk, and still with no com- 
ments, for immediately after Jean went 
on with his morning’s work. 

She did not waste time, however, in 
puzzling over the old servant mian. 

After drinking a small quantity of the 
milk, not wishing to throw the rest away 
or to return to the house, Sally concluded 
to take it with her as a part of her offer- 
ing. Yet she had no real desire to give 
refreshment to her accidental acquaint- 
ance. 

Some curious feminine force must have 
moved Sally Ashton on this occasion. 
Most women find it difficult to allow a 
human being to endure physical suffering, 
once the person is delivered into their care 

As she made her way to the chateau for 
the second time Sally loathed the cold dark 
morning and there was no beauty nor sig- 
nificance to her in the gray leaden sky; 


158 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


which lay like a mourning veil over the 
sad French landscape. 

Sally considered that she was engaged 
in an almost unjustifiable action. Yet she 
could not make up her mind to leave the 
soldier to starve, or to betray his presence 
in the chateau. 

Moreover, Sally was haunted by a small 
nervous fear, which may have been out of 
place in the face of the larger issues which 
were involved. As the soldier in hiding 
had no reason to believe she would arrive 
so early in the morning, he might still be 
asleep. Sally disliked the idea that thus 
she might be called upon to awaken him. 
The conventions of life were dear to her, 
she had a real appreciation of their value 
and place in social life and no desire to 
break with any one of them. 

The food could be left in the dismantled 
old drawing-room, under its arch of lean- 
ing walls, but Sally wished to leave a com- 
mand as well as the food. After this one 
unhappy pilgrimage she would do nothing 
more for the soldier’s safety and comfort. 
He must take his chances and slip away. 

The entire neighborhood was disturb- 


THE RETURN 


159 


ingly quiet. An owl of late habits would 
have been almost companionable. Upon 
one point Sally considered herself inflex- 
ible. She would not enter the chateau ; she 
might call softly from the outside if it 
were necessary. If no one replied she 
would return to the farm and nevermore 
would the chateau be honored by her 
presence. 

In an entirely different state of mind 
she approached the old house on this sec- 
ond occasion and made her way to the 
opening between the walls. 

Inside there seemed an even more un- 
canny silence. Yet how could one call to 
an utter stranger whose name, whose 
identity, whose nationality were all un- 
known? 

“Halloo !” Sally cried in a faint voice, 
not once but three or four times. 

There was no reply. 

She called again. Then she entered the 
drawing-room quickly with no other idea 
than to put down her offerings and flee 
away as soon as possible. Sally was pos- 
sessed of the impression that, however 
long the wrecked walls might remain in 


160 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


position while she was outside them, once 
inside she would be buried beneath a de- 
scending mass. 

A few feet within the arch she discov- 
ered her soldier. 

He had made for himself a bed out of an 
old mattress which he had dragged from 
some other room, using a tom covering 
which once had been a beautiful eiderdown 
quilt. As he had no pillow and his face 
was completely uncovered, Sially realized 
he was in a stupor and so ill that he had 
not heard her approach or her repeated 
calls. 

Fortunately Sally Ashton was essen- 
tially practical. 

Moreover, in an extraordinary fashion 
for so young and presumably selfish a girl 
she immediately forgot herself. She was 
living in an atmosphere of unselfishness 
and devotion to others, so the thought that 
the object of her present care was not a 
worthy object did not at the moment in- 
fluence her. 

In a matter-of-fact and skillful fashion 
Sally first poured a small amount of milk 
inside her patient’s parted lips. Except 


THE RETURN 


161 


that the soldier became half aroused by 
her act and seemed to wish more, there 
was no difficulty. Then unwrapping the 
arm which she had bandaged the day be- 
fore, she cleansed the wound a second time 
with the antiseptic she had brought for the 
purpose. 

Afterwards, realizing that she must find 
the water she had been told was still to be 
had in one of the rooms of the chateau, 
without considering her previous fears, 
Sally climbed and crawled through one 
dangerous opening after the other, in spite 
of her awkwardness in any unaccustomed 
physical exertion. Finally she discovered 
the water. Then in a half broken pitcher, 
secured in passing through one of the 
wrecked bedrooms, she carried a small 
amount to the drawing-room. 

Without hesitation or embarrassment 
the girl bathed her undesired patient’s 
face and hands. He had fine, strong fea- 
tures; there was nothing in the face to 
suggest weakness or cowardice. Still it 
remained impossible to decide his nation- 
ality or whether he was an officer or merely 


162 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


a common soldier, since his outfit was a 
patchwork of oddly assorted garments. 

Sally’s acquaintance with uniforms was 
limited. She knew that the French wore 
the horizon blue and the British and 
Americans a nearly similar shade of 
khaki. 

Her patient’s outfit was like no other 
she had seen. 

Yet over these minor details she did not 
trouble. In spite of her lack of experi- 
ence, Sally was convinced that the soldier 
was now suffering from blood poison due 
to neglect of his wound and the unhealthy 
and unsanitary conditions in which he had 
been living. 

The day before she had thought he 
looked and acted strangely and had half 
an idea that he may have been partly de- 
lirious then, so she was not altogether sur- 
prised by the present situation. 

During her journey across the fields 
daylight had come ; because she would not 
otherwise have been able to accomplish 
her present task even so inadequately as 
she had accomplished it, Sally was pleased. 

Yet when the moment arrived and she 


THE RETURN 


163 


bad done all she could for the soldier’s 
comfort she had to face her real difficulty. 

There is no mistake in this world more 
serious than to judge other people’s prob- 
lems in the light in which they appear to 
us. The problem which is nothing to one 
human being appears insurmountable to 
another. 

So with Sally Ashton’s present diffi- 
culty. 

She had made up her mind to tell the 
soldier that unless he left the chateau be- 
fore the following day she would be com- 
pelled to tell her friends of his hiding 
place and ask advice. But she had meant 
to warn him of her intention and allow 
him to take his chances if he preferred. 

Now he appeared defenceless and en- 
tirely at her mercy. 

Should she betray him at once*? Cer- 
tainly there was a possibility that he 
would die of neglect if left alone at the 
chateau. But then he must have faced this 
possibility and deliberately chosen it. 

Sally wondered what would become of 
an escaped prisoner if he were discovered 
to be desperately ill ? It did not seem pos- 


164 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


sible that the military authorities would 
be so severe as he had anticipated. 

Yet she knew very little of the ways of 
military authorities, and an escaped 
prisoner would scarcely be an object of de- 
voted attention. 

Although not aware of the fact, already 
Sally had assumed a protective attitude 
toward the soldier. 

One thing she might do and that was to 
wait another twenty-four hours. It was 
barely possible that he might not be so ill 
as she now believed. 

At present she must not remain a 
moment longer at the chateau. Instead 
she must run back across the fields, since 
it was her plan to reach the farm house 
and be discovered in the act of assisting 
Mere ’Toinette in the preparation of 
breakfast. 


CHAPTER XII 


Other Days and Other Ways 
NDER the new conditions of life in 



the devastated country of France, 


it has been difficult to set down the 
effect which the change of environment, 
the change of interest and of inspiration 
had upon each individual member of the 
Sunrise Camp Fire unit. 

Certainly their present daily life bore 
but a faint resemblance to their former 
outdoor summer encampments in various 
picturesque places in the United States. 
Nevertheless the Camp Fire girls always 
had considered that they were doing use- 
ful work merely by following the rules of 
their camp fire and by gaining the honors 
necessary to the growth of their organi- 
zation and their own official rank. 

Now they realized that all their efforts 
had been but a preparation for the service 
they were at present undertaking. There 
was no detail of their past experience 


( 165 ) 


166 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


which was not of service, their Health 
Craft, Camp Craft, Home Craft, Business 
and Patriotism. Why, their very watch 
cry, “Wohelo”— work, health and love- 
embodied the three gifts they were trying 
to restore to the poverty-stricken French 
people in this particular neighborhood 
upon ‘ 6 the field of honor ! 9 ’ 

On this afternoon, in spite of the cold, 
the girls had arranged to hold their first 
out-of-doors Camp Fire meeting since 
their arrival in France. 

For weeks they had been working 
among the young French girls in the vil- 
lages and the country near at hand, per- 
suading them to spend whatever leisure 
they had in studying the Camp Fire ideas 
and activities. 

Bettina Graham and Alice Ashton had 
introduced as much Camp Fire study as 
possible into the regular routine of the 
school which they held daily in the big 
schoolroom at the farm. Even with the 
younger children there were like sugges- 
tions of play and of service which Marta 
Clark and Yvonne were able to give. 

But until this afternoon there had 


167 


OTHER DAYS, 

been no actual organization of the first 
group of Camp Fire girls in France. 
Strange that with Camp Fires in England, 
Australia, Africa, Japan, China and other 
foreign places, there should have been 
none in France! But Yvonne Fleury 
could have explained that, unlike Amer- 
ican girls, French girls were not ac- 
customed to intimate association with one 
another, their lives up to the time of their 
marriage being spent in seclusion among 
the members of their own family. 

Indeed, upon this same afternoon 
Yvonne was thinking of this as she dressed 
slowly before going outdoors to join the 
other girls. The house was empty save 
that Mere ’Toinette was working down- 
stairs. 

Marta Clark and Peggy had been kind 
enough to make her a simple Camp Fire 
costume, the khaki skirt and blouse, 
which formed their ordinary service cos- 
tume. Notwithstanding she had been 
studying the Camp Fire manual and try- 
ing to acquire the necessary honors, this 
was the first time Yvonne had worn the 
costume. 


168 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


How utterly unlike anything she had 
ever dreamed were these past weeks in 
her life! From the moment of her con- 
fession of weakness and the telling of her 
story to Mrs. Burton, Yvonne had delib- 
erately chosen to remain with her rather 
than continue with the canteen work 
which she had originally planned to do in. 
returning to her own country. 

For one reason she had fallen under the 
spell of Mrs. Burton’s sympathy and 
charm; moreover, the girls in the Camp 
Fire work were nearer her own age and 
were to undertake a character of occupa- 
tion in which she felt herself able to be 
useful. They were also going to live in the 
neighborhood of her old home before the 
outbreak of the war. 

As a matter of fact, although Yvonne 
had preferred not to confide the informa- 
tion to any one except Mrs. Burton, she was 
at present not fifty miles from the chateau 
in France where she had lived until the 
night word came that she and her family 
must fly before the oncoming horde of the 
enemy. 

Well, more than three years had passed 


OTHER DAYS 


169 


since that night, three years which some- 
times seemed an eternity to Yvonne. She 
had no wish to revisit the ruins of her old 
home, no wish to be reminded of it. There 
was no one left for whom she cared except 
perhaps a few neighbors. 

However, in the last few weeks Yvonne 
ordinarily did not permit herself to be- 
come depressed. This much she felt she 
owed to Mrs. Burton’s kindness and to the 
comradeship which had been so generously 
given to her by the Camp Fire girls. 
Yvonne felt a particular affection for each 
one of them. She could not of course feel 
equally attracted. So far she cared most 
for Peggy Webster and for Mary Gil- 
christ, possibly attracted toward Mary be- 
cause she also was an outsider like her- 
self. Then Mary’s boyish attitude toward 
life, her utter freedom even from the 
knowledge of the conventions in which 
Yvonne had been so carefully reared, at 
first startled, then amused the young 
French girl. But for Peggy Webster, 
Yvonne had a peculiar feeling of love and 
admiration. This may have been partly 
due to the fact that Peggy was Mrs. Bur- 


170 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


ton’s niece and so shared in the glamor of 
the great lady’s personality, but it was 
more a tribute to Peggy’s own character. 

After Yvonne’s pathetic account of her 
history, Mrs. Burton had told at least a 
measure of her story to Peggy. She had 
asked Peggy to invoke the compassion and 
aid of the other girls and to do what she 
could for Yvonne herself. 

To Peggy ’s strength, to the freedom and 
the courage of her outlook upon life, 
Yvonne’s tragic story had appealed 
strongly, but more Yvonne’s timidity. 
Often the young French girl appeared un- 
willing to go on with the daily struggle of 
life when everything for which she had 
ever cared had been taken from her. 

Among the American Camp Fire girls 
there was only one girl for whom Yvonne 
felt a sensation of distrust which almost 
amounted to a dislike, and this was Sally 
Ashton. Nevertheless, in the early days of 
their acquaintance, Yvonne had not this 
point of view. Then she had admired 
Sally’s prettiness, the gold brown of her 
hair and eyes, her white skin and even her 
indolent manners and graces. Yet re- 


OTHER DAYS 


171 


cently Yvonne had become aware of a cir- 
cumstance, or rather of a series of circum- 
stances, which had first surprised, then 
puzzled and finally repelled her. 

In a few moments Yvonne left the farm 
house. If she were late at their first out- 
door camp fire she realized she would 
have no difficulty in discovering the site 
they had selected, although it was at some 
distance away. 

Some time had passed since the arrival 
of the Camp Fire party in this neighbor- 
hood of France and now even in the winter 
fields there was a suggestion of approach- 
ing spring. 

As Yvonne walked on she felt an unsel- 
fish joy, a greater lightness of heart. 
Surely the spring would bring back some 
of her lost happiness to France. There 
would be another great drive, another 
tragic contest of strength, but the British 
and French lines would hold. 

Yvonne had the great faith and courage 
of her people, now she had learned to lay 
aside her personal sorrow. 

In a few more weeks Miss Patricia’s 
American tractor, which was indeed a 


172 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


“ strange god in a machine”, would be able 
to turn these fields into plowed land ready 
for the spring planting. 

But now in a meadow, while still some 
distance away, Yvonne beheld an Amer- 
ican, a French and a British flag set up on 
temporary staffs, and blending their colors 
and designs in a symbolic fashion as they 
floated in the wind. 

Yvonne paused for a moment to watch 
the group of her acquaintances and 
friends. 

Standing apart from the girls were Miss 
Patricia Lord, Mrs. Burton, and the two 
visitors who had arrived only a few days 
before. They were the guests whose ap- 
proaching visit to the farm house Miss 
Patricia had so openly deplored, one of 
them Mrs. Bishop and the other Monsieur 
Duval, both of them ship acquaintances. 
Mrs. Bishop was in France to represent 
an American magazine and was at present 
intending to write a series of articles on 
the reclamation work along the Aisne and 
the Marne. 

Monsieur Duval had given no explana- 
tion for his appearance save to announce 


OTHER DAYS 


173 


that he had some especial work on hand 
for his government in the southern dis- 
tricts of France. 

In spite of the fact that fuel was of 
such tremendous value in France at the 
present time, the Camp Fire girls had 
permitted themselves the extravagance of 
a fire to inaugurate their first outdoor 
Camp Fire ceremony. The boxes in which 
Miss Patricia’s various purchases had 
come to the farm had proved useful for 
more than one service. 

In a circle near the camp fire were eight 
young French girls who this afternoon 
were to receive the woodgatherers’ rings. 
Just beyond them the American girls were 
seated. 

Peggy had been chosen to present the 
rings. 

Possibly they were waiting for 
Yvonne’s arrival, for no sooner had sh£ 
slipped silently into her place than Peggy 
Webster arose and recited the Wood- 
gatherer’s Desire. 


174 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


“As fagots are brought from the forest, 

Firmly held by the sinews which bind them, 

I will cleave to my Camp Fire sisters 
Wherever, whenever I find them. 

“I will strive to grow strong like the pine tree, 
To be pure in my deepest desire; 

To be true to the truth that is in me 
And follow the Law of the Fire.” 

Then she offered each one of the French 
girls a silver ring. When she came to 
Yvonne, clasping the Fire Maker’s brace- 
let about her wrist, she whispered : 

“We feel, Yvonne, that you have a right 
to a higher order in our new Camp Fire 
group than the other members because of 
the help you have given us in whatever 
work we have attempted since our arrival 
in France. In fact, you are the leading 
French Camp Fire girl!” 

A moment later, in answer to a signal, 
Mrs. Burton walked over and stood just 
beyond the two circles of girls and the 
camp fire and close to the Allied flags. 

“There is not much I feel able to say to 
you,” she began, speaking in a simple and 
friendly fashion. “I think perhaps you 


OTHER DAYS 


175 


are already beginning to understand how 
intensely the people of the United States 
desire to render to France a part of the 
debt we owe her. It is France who has 
saved our liberty and the liberty of the en- 
tire world. 

“Now I hope that the first group of 
Camp Fire girls in France will later carry 
the flaming torch until the news of the 
Camp Fire movement has spread through 
all the French land. In the Camp Fire 
life we look for the romance, the beauty 
and the adventure which may be hidden in 
the smallest task. More important than 
these things I hope Camp Fire girls the 
world over may become a part of the new 
spirit everywhere growing up among 
women, the spirit of union, the ability to 
work and play together as men have in 
the past. For once all girls and women 
are united, there will be a new league for 
peace among the nations such as this 
world has never known.” 


CHAPTER XIII 


A Departure and an Arrival 

O NE evening two days later a little 
after the hour for bed-time at the 
farm, Mrs. Burton knocked softly 
at Miss Patricia’s door. 

Miss Patricia quickly opened it. 

“ You are ill, Polly Burton. Well, it is 
just what I have been expecting ever 
since the arrival of that strange man and 
woman. It seems to me that we had quite 
enough to do without entertaining guests. 
Besides, it strikes me as pure waste of 
energy, this riding about through the 
country with strangers when you should 
be at some real work.” 

During her speech Miss Patricia had 
drawn the younger woman into her room, 
closed the door behind her and was now 
gazing at her severely but it must be con- 
fessed solicitously as well. 

“But I am not ill, Aunt Patricia,” 
Mrs. Burton protested as soon as she was 

( 176 ) 


A DEPARTURE 


177 


allowed an opportunity to speak. “I only 
came in to have a talk with you about 
something important.’ ’ 

Aunt Patricia’s bedroom was large and 
empty, for there was more space at the 
old farm house than furniture. A great 
old-fashioned French bed had been spared 
from the general wreckage and upon this 
Mrs. Burton seated herself, drawing her 
feet up under her and her lavender dress- 
ing gown about her, since with so little heat 
in the house the bedrooms were uncom- 
fortably cold. 

There was but one solitary stiff-backed 
chair, in which Miss Patricia sat perfectly 
erect. 

“Why not come here and sit beside me? 
There is plenty of room, and you will be 
more comfortable,” Mrs. Burton urged. 

Aunt Patricia shook her head. 

“I am quite comfortable where I am. 
Moreover, Polly Burton, if I am an old 
woman and you no longer a young one, at 
the same time I am aware that you have 
every idea of trying to persuade me to 
some point of view of which you do not 
think I will approve. I have seen your 


178 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


methods before this evening. Thank you, 
I shall remain where I am.” 

Mrs. Burton laughed. 

Aunt Patricia did look so uncompro- 
mising in a hideous smoke-gray dressing 
gown made without any attempt at decora- 
tions. Her small knot of hair was 
screwed into a tight coil at the back of 
her head. 

Mrs. Burton’s own hair had kept its 
beautiful dusky quality, it had the dark 
sheen of the hair of the mythical Irish 
fairies, for only in Anglo-Saxon countries 
are fairies of necessity fair. Tonight Mrs. 
Burton’s hair was unbound and hung 
about her shoulders as if she were a girl. 

Fearing that Miss Patricia might re- 
gard her frivolous appearance with dis- 
favor, she now began braiding it into one 
heavy braid. 

6 ‘ What ever it is you desire to say, I do 
wish you would begin, Polly, so that we 
both can go to bed,” the elderly spinster 
remarked. 

Mrs. Burton shook her head. “You are 
not in a good humor, are you, Aunt Pa- 
tricia ? But at least there is one thing you 


A DEPARTURE 


179 


will be glad to hear : our guests, Monsieur 
Duval and Mrs. Bishop, are leaving our 
farm the day after tomorrow. ” 

“ A good riddance,” Miss Patricia an- 
swered sharply. 

Then observing that her companion had 
flushed and undoubtedly was annoyed by 
her plain speaking, Aunt Patricia’s man- 
ner became slightly mollified. 

“It is not that I have anything personal 
against your friends, Polly. I must say 
they have both endeavored to be very 
agreeable since their arrival and to give as 
little trouble as possible. But I told you 
on board ship I did not like the attitude of 
that Frenchman toward you. It was no 
surprise to me when he discovered he had 
important business in this part of France. 
Of course it should not be necessary for 
me to remind you that you are a married 
woman, with your unfortunate husband 
serving his country in France many miles 
from here and also that you are chaperon- 
ing a group of young girls. I suppose you 
will simply tell me that I do not under- 
stand French manners, but that is neither 
here nor there, Polly Burton. Your 


180 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Frenchman is polite to your friend, Mrs. 
Bishop, I must confess he is also courteous 
to me ; but I am obliged to repeat that his 
manner neither to Mrs. Bishop nor to me 
is in the least like his manner to you. ” 

“Aunt Patricia, you are so ridiculous! 
Still I don’t feel like laughing this time; 
you really are making me angry,” Mrs. 
Burton answered. 

“I have made a great many persons 
angry in my life, Polly. I cannot even 
flatter myself that this is the first time I 
have offended you. However, I feel com- 
pelled to speak the truth.” Miss Pa- 
tricia’s tone remained imperturbable. 

“But that is just the trouble, Aunt Pa- 
tricia, you are not speaking the truth, al- 
though of course I know you don’t realize 
it and I beg your pardon,” Mrs. Burton 
argued. “But why do you allow yourself 
to acquire such prejudices and such fool- 
ish impressions'? I simply refuse to dis- 
cuss the suggestion you have just made. 
Please never speak of it to me again.” 

Ordinarily when the celebrated Mrs. 
Burton assumed an air of offended dig- 
nity such as she wore at present her world 


A DEPARTURE 


181 


was apt to sue for pardon. Miss Pa- 
tricia revealed no such intention. As a 
matter of fact, as she remained resolutely 
silent and as Mrs. Burton had not yet ex- 
plained the reason for her visit, it was she 
who had to resume the conversation in a 
conciliatory manner. 

“I presume you won’t approve then, 
Aunt Patricia, of what I wish to speak to 
you. Monsieur Duval has been ordered 
to southern France on some work for his 
government and has asked Mrs. Bishop 
and me to accompany him, because it is 
work in which he thinks we may be useful. 
You know the Germans have been sending 
back some of the French refugees whom 
they drove before them in their retreat. 
There are groups of five hundred at a 
time who now and then are sent over the 
border either from Germany or Switzer- 
land. They are penniless and not only 
have no money or food or clothes ; they do 
not know whether their families are living 
or dead and in any case have no way to 
reach them. The French government is 
to try to arrange some plan by which 
homes may be secured for these unfortu- 


182 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


nate people until they can communicate 
with their relatives or friends.’ ’ 

“An excellent idea, but I do not ex- 
actly see your connection with it,” Miss 
Patricia returned. 

Mrs. Burton shrugged her shoulders im- 
patiently. In all her life she never re- 
membered any one who had opposed her 
desires in exactly the same fashion Miss 
Patricia did. Then, a little ashamed of 
herself, she answered gently but firmly : 

“My connection is that I am interested 
and that Mrs. Bishop and I have both de- 
cided to accompany Monsieur Duval. It 
is barely possible that we may be useful 
and able to offer a certain amount of ad- 
vice. So many of the refugees are young 
women who have suffered impossible 
things and may require special care and 
shelter. Besides, I am very deeply 
anxious to see more of the country. We 
expect to travel south in the sector the 
Germans held three years ago. I will thus 
be able to find out how much restoration 
work has already been accomplished and 
how great a task remains. Moreover, 
Aunt Patricia dear, I have a personal 


A DEPARTURE 


183 


errand. Surely you will think this import- 
ant. 

“You remember my talking to you of 
the old peasant whose granddaughter, 
Elsie, had been driven into exile. Except 
to me the old woman has never spoken of 
her loss. Now there is a possibility that 
Elsie has been sent back into France and 
I have promised Grand ’mere to search for 
her. 

“Moreover, Aunt Patricia, each village 
in the devastated districts has been or- 
dered to prepare a list of names of the 
missing who disappeared at the time of the 
German retreat. These lists are to be 
turned over to Monsieur Duval. A com- 
mittee is to be appointed near the frontier 
to take charge of the lists and see that the 
refugees get in touch with their own peo- 
ple as soon as possible. Don’t you think 
this a wonderful scheme?” 

As Mrs. Burton unfolded the plan which 
had been carefully worked out with a great 
deal of foresight and care, in her enthus- 
iasm she forgot Miss Patricia’s chilling 
attitude. She had spent many hours dur- 
ing the brief visit at the farm of Mrs. 


184 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Bishop and Monsieur Duval in the out- 
line she had just explained. 

Aunt Patricia continued to look unim- 
pressed and uninspired. 

“I told you before, Polly, that I had no 
idea of criticizing Monsieur Duval ’s ef- 
forts in behalf of his government. I know 
the situation you speak of is extremely 
deplorable. Still I fail to see any reason 
for your assistance. There is sufficient 
work for you in this immediate neighbor- 
hood. However, I presume you have 
definitely made up your mind,” Miss Pa- 
tricia concluded. 

Before replying, Mrs. Burton waited a 
moment, watching for a sign of yielding 
in her companion. But as Miss Patricia 
gave none, she nodded her head. 

“Yes, Aunt Patricia, I am going with 
Mrs. Bishop and Monsieur Duval, al- 
though I am sorry you do not approve of 
my making the trip. I won’t be away 
more than two weeks and I feel I may be 
of greater service than by remaining 
here.” 

“You also feel that traveling about 
through the French country with a dis- 


A DEPARTURE 


185 


tinguished French politician and a woman 
author will be far more exciting than stay- 
ing at the farm and doing your duty, 
Polly Burton,” Miss Patricia added, al- 
lowing her accumulated anger to overflow 
at last. “Do, please, whatever else you 
wish to add by way of camouflage, at least 
confess the truth. I presume it is your 
idea to leave me to look after the group 
of girls you undertook to chaperon in 
France?” 

In spite of the fact that by this time, 
Mrs. Burton, whose amiability was never 
her strong point, was in as bad a temper 
as her antagonist, she had to confess to 
herself that in Miss Patricia’s last speech 
the scales dropped in her favor. 

“Why, yes, Aunt Patricia, that is what 
I wish you to do. But will it be such a 
serious responsibility? The work at the 
farm is so splendidly organized now and 
the girls are so deeply interested, I don’t 
see why you should have any especial dif- 
ficulty if you will just allow things to go 
on as they are at present.” 

Of her own free will Miss Patricia at 
this moment rose from her stiff chair and 


166 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


came and sat on the edge of the bed facing 
the younger woman. She showed no sign 
of relaxing either physically or mentally, 
or of any softening in her rigid point of 
view. 

“ I wonder, Polly Burton, if you have 
any reason for believing that things 
usually go on in exactly the same fashion 
in this world, after one has carefully ar- 
ranged that they should? Of course I 
shall do my best to look after the Camp 
Fire girls, although they do not like me 
and I do not understand them. There is 
no telling what may occur in your ab- 
sence/ ? Miss Patricia ended so gloomily 
that Mrs. Burton’s eyes shone with merri- 
ment, although she carefully lowered her 
lids. 

At the same instant, to her surprise, she 
felt Miss Patricia lean over and seize her 
by both shoulders. For a second she won- 
dered if Aunt Patricia had made up her 
mind to shake her because of her rebellion. 

Instead Miss Patricia added unexpect- 
edly: 

“Polly, my dear child, I really don’t 
wish you to go on this wild goose chase, 


A DEPARTURE 


187 


partly for the reasons I have given you, but 
also because I am afraid for you. You knows 
the world is expecting another great Ger- 
man offensive this spring and no one un- 
derstands why it has been delayed so long. 
Well, you must realize that as you travel 
farther south in Prance the line between 
the German and the French armies grows 
narrower and narrower. Only a few 
miles of victory and the Germans will 
again occupy their old line ! It is possible 
you might arrive at some district at a 
crucial moment when a battle was begin- 
ning. Then the saints alone could pre- 
serve you!” 

With the last few words of her long 
speech Miss Patricia reverted to her 
Irish brogue and her Irish faith. 

Afterwards Mrs. Burton was glad to 
remember that, although Aunt Patricia 
certainly was not regarding her with af- 
fection at the moment, nevertheless, she 
slipped her arm about the elderly lady’s 
hard and upright shoulders. 

“You are a dear, Aunt Patricia! But 
please don’t worry. We are not going 
into any dangerous neighborhoods. The 


188 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


drive will not begin for many weeks. In 
any case there will be no retreat. Yet in- 
deed we mean to take every possible pre- 
caution and at no time will we be near the 
German line. It is good of you to think 
I am worth worrying over, but this time 
it is not necessary.’ ’ 

“ Have you your husband’s permission 
for this trip, Polly 1 ? I presume you have 
written Richard Burton of your new 
French friend?” Aunt Patricia demanded 
as a last forlorn hope. 

In reply Mrs. Burton smiled and 
nodded. 

“Yes, I have done both of those things. 
I wrote Richard about Monsieur Duval 
soon after our meeting on shipboard. But 
of course I have had no reply to my letter 
with regard to my trip south with Mrs. 
Bishop and Monsieur Duval, for there is 
not time for me to hear before we leave.” 

“And nothing will change your decision, 
Polly?” 

Mrs. Burton had slid down on to the 
floor from the high old bed and now stood 
before Miss Patricia, hesitating for the 
fraction of a second. 


A DEPARTURE 


189 


“I do wish you would not put the ques- 
tion in such a way, Aunt Patricia. You 
make me think of what Sally Ashton said 
to you, as if I too were a disobedient child, 
and I am more than twice Sally’s age. Of 
course I do not wish to do anything you 
oppose, but the trip to southern France 
and the work I hope to be able to accom- 
plish will be a great opportunity and a 
great experience. I hope you will make 
up your mind to feel as I do before we 
start the day after tomorrow.” 

Before Aunt Patricia could reply, Mrs. 
Burton made a hasty and carefully de- 
signed retreat. Being fully cognizant that 
there was no possibility of Miss Patricia’s 
relenting, she wished to pretend to believe 
she might change her mind and at the same 
time to announce the proposed time for 
her own departure. 

Fortunately for Mrs. Burton’s courage 
and decision, her plan met with no especial 
opposition from any other member of the 
Camp Fire group. 

The girls regretted her leaving, and 
Sally Ashton more than the others; 
nevertheless it appeared to them as it had 


190 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


to Mrs. Burton, as a wonderful chance for 
service and at the same time a thrilling 
adventure. 

Two days later, even at the moment 
when the automobile appeared at the door 
to bear off Mrs. Burton and her two com- 
panions, Miss Patricia’s attitude remained 
unchanged. 

Mrs. Burton devoted the last five min- 
utes before her departure to begging Aunt 
Patricia to bestow her final consent and 
parting blessing. Aunt Patricia stead- 
fastly refused. 

She also declined to see the automobile 
leave the farm. Instead, during the final 
farewells, turning her back upon the 
assembly, she marched up alone to her 
own room. Once inside, it is true she 
wiped away several tears, but immediately 
after set herself to writing a letter to Cap- 
tain Richard Burton. And Captain Bur- 
ton and Miss Patricia only were to know 
what the letter contained! Fortunately 
Captain Burton understood Miss Pa- 
tricia and her devotion to his wife. More- 
over, the extent of her devotion was to be 
proven later. 


A DEPARTURE 


191 


The following day, perhaps because of 
Miss Patricia’s prediction that nothing 
in life runs on continuously in the same 
groove, an unexpected telegram was 
brought out to the French farm house for 
Peggy Webster. 

In the telegram Lieutenant Ralph Mar- 
shall of the United States Aviation Ser- 
vice in France stated that, having been 
slightly injured by a fall, he had secured 
a few days’ leave of absence. Would he 
be permitted to spend his leave with Mrs. 
Burton and the Camp Fire girls at their 
farm house on the Aisne ? 

To Peggy Webster there appeared to 
be but one possible answer to this amazing 
piece of good fortune, and fortunately she 
was able to persuade Aunt Patricia to the 
same point of view. Miss Patricia did not 
approve of young men, but she did ap- 
prove of Peggy and understood the situa- 
tion in regard to Ralph. 

Therefore the return telegram read: 
“Yes.” 

Except for brief intervals, Peggy and 
Ralph had seen but little of each other 
since their summer together in Arizona, a 


192 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


summer which had been fateful for them 
both. It had not occurred to Peg gy that 
either she or Ralph would ever change 
their minds with regard to their future 
marriage, in spite of the fact that she was 
but eighteen years old and Ralph not much 
older. There remained only the question 
of persuading their two families to share 
their view. 

In the last two years Ralph had been re- 
deeming his former idleness. Having 
volunteered for aviation work before the 
entry of the United States into the world 
war, he had been able to secure a commis- 
sion and already had been in France a 
number of months. 


CHAPTER XIV 


A Warning 

I T was the morning after the departure 
of Mrs. Burton and her guests and 
three days before the arrival of Ralph 
Marshall for his visit at the farm house 
on the Aisne. 

Having completed her work downstairs, 
Sally Ashton had hurried up to her bed- 
room where at present she was making 
little nervous preparations as if intending 
to go outdoors and anxious not to be ob- 
served. 

There was no reason why she should 
feel alarmed. So far as she knew, every 
member of her household was occupied 
with the day’s work. From the school- 
room below she could hear the voices of 
the children singing a little French chan- 
son, and now and then one of the older 
girls either asking a question or reciting. 
Alice Ashton and Bettina Graham, Marta 

( 193 ) 


194 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Clark and Yvonne Fleury were engaged 
with their pupils. 

An hour before Peggy and Yera had 
driven off in the motor with Mary Gil- 
christ, since Mary had promised to trans- 
port a number of wounded soldiers from 
a train to a nearby convalescent hospital, 
and was uncertain whether she would find 
anyone at the railroad station to help. 
Therefore she had asked the two girls to 
accompany her. Peggy also desired to 
mail a letter to Ralph Marshall which 
might reach him before he started upon 
his journey. 

Always Aunt Patricia was occupied out- 
doors from breakfast until lunch time. 
So in spite of the fact that Sally Ashton 
showed a degree of suppressed excitement 
both in her manner and appearance, there 
would seem to have been no apparent ex- 
cuse. A certain timorousness once 
wholly unlike her, lately had appeared in 
Sally’s attitude. 

She also had grown thinner and her big 
golden brown eyes had lost their sleepy 
expression and acquired an anxious ap- 
peal. The lines about her full, rather 


A WARNING 


195 


pouting lips were strained and appre- 
hensive. 

Having at the moment pulled a small 
traveling bag down from a shelf overhead 
and allowed it to fall on the floor, Sally 
did not hear the swift opening and closing 
of her bedroom door. Therefore, when 
she had secured her bag and was straight- 
ening up, she gave an exclamation of sur- 
prise on discovering her sister standing 
within a few feet of her. 

Except that she was handsomer, Alice 
looked very like her mother, the Esther 
of the first Camp Fire days, yet she and 
Sally bore no possible resemblance to each 
other either in disposition or appearance. 

Alice was tall and slender, with a grave, 
severe air. She wore her dark red hair 
parted and bound about the back of her 
head in a heavy braid. She was a little 
angular. There was a suggestion that un- 
less life dealt generously with her, grant- 
ing her the gifts which make for tender- 
ness and softness in a woman’s nature, she 
might in time have the appearance one is 
supposed to associate with an old maid. 


196 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


However, old maids are as unlike as the 
rest of the human species. 

Certainly at the present moment her ex- 
pression was austere, although uneasy and 
distressed as well. 

“What are you doing, Sally ?” she in- 
quired, her voice gentle and solicitous, yet 
observing that a wave of color had swept 
over Sally’s face even before she had 
spoken. 

The next moment Sally flung her bag 
down on the floor again, answering petu- 
lantly : 

6 ‘ What am I doing ? W ell, really, Alice, 
I do not see what difference it makes to 
you, or why you should slip into our room 
so quietly that you frightened me. As a 
matter of fact, I got down my traveling 

bag to— to ” Sally’s voice trailed off 

helplessly for an instant. The next in- 
stant, gathering force, she repeated: “I 
pulled down my bag because I wished to 
store away some odds and ends which I 
wish to keep safely.” 

Then losing her temper in a most suspi- 
cious fashion, suddenly Sally stamped her 
foot as if she were an angry child and at 


A WARNING 


197 


the same time her eyes grew unexpectedly 
dark and lovely. 

‘ 6 That is not what you came into this 
room to announce to me, Alice. So please 
say whatever it is you wish and be 
through. I am going out for a little walk 
before lunch. ” In any event Sally was no 
coward ! 

Then sit down. You do not look very 
well and I am afraid you won’t like what 
I must say,” Alice returned. “Under- 
stand, it gives me no pleasure ; instead, I 
am tremendously worried and unhappy. 
I suppose I should have talked the situa- 
tion over with Tante before she went 
away, but I knew it would interfere with 
her trip and so avoided troubling her.” 

In answer to her sister’s suggestion 
Sally seated herself upon a tall, old- 
fashioned wooden chair, so that only her 
toes were able to reach the ground. All 
at once she had felt as if she would be 
more comfortable seated. It was not be- 
cause of Alice’s suggestion that she had 
agreed, but because of a sudden sensation 
of weariness, almost of physical weakness, 
although this last idea seemed absurd. 


198 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Yet somehow Sally appeared so like a 
tired and rebellious child that her sister 
found it difficult to continue their conver- 
sation. However, she must introduce the 
accusation she had been schooling herself 
to make before entering the room. 

“Is there anything you would like to 
talk to me about, Sally? Outside our 
daily life and work here at the farm is 
there anything which has been interesting 
you recently and which you have preferred 
not to mention to anybody ?” Alice in- 
quired gently, her voice shaken by her ef- 
fort to hide her concern, while a fine line 
appeared between her level brows. 

Pretending to be bored rather than af- 
fected in any other fashion by her sister’s 
speech, first Sally shrugged her shoulders. 
Then making a pretence of yawning, she 
placed her fingers lightly over her lips. 

“Really, Alice, what on earth is troub- 
ling you in connection with me? Have 
you had me on your conscience more than 
usual recently? Can’t you ever get over 
your unattractive habit of treating me as 
if I were a refractory pupil and you an 
offended schoolmarm? In spite of being 


A WARNING 


199 


born in New England, there is no reason 
to affect this pose, as it is unnecessary and 
I think most unbecoming. 

Sally’s manner was a little too self-as- 
sured, but otherwise she appeared as enig- 
matic as an accomplished actress. Gaz- 
ing at her earnestly, there was nothing in 
her expression at present to suggest any 
emotion save a natural annoyance at being 
catechized. 

But Alice was not deceived. 

“Please don’t assume such an air of of- 
fended virtue, Sally. You are far too fond 
of employing it when anyone reproaches 
you,” Alice continued, but really too 
sincerely disturbed to feel angered by her 
sister’s behavior. “Evidently you do not 
wish to confide in me, so I suppose there 
is no use wasting either your time or mine. 
For the past two weeks— I don’t know the 
exact length of time, although you are 
aware of it, Sally— you have been disap- 
pearing from the farm almost every day. 
At first I did not notice. You seem to have 
been careful that neither Aunt Patricia, 
nor Tante, nor I should know. And you 
have been clever. But you could not 


200 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


escape everybody’s observation and the 
other Camp Fire girls have seen you and 
been puzzled and at last worried to guess 
what you could be doing. You need not 
ask who the girls were ; I shall not tell you. 
But finally several of them felt compelled 
to speak to me and to suggest that I ask 
your confidence. Oh, don’t pretend you 
think you have been spied upon and badly 
treated. You know, Sally, that unless the 
girls cared for you they would not have 
troubled? But we have lived almost as 
one family and our interests are bound 
together. Do tell me what you have been 
doing, dear? What has taken you away 
from home so many times alone ? I have 
been watching you myself recently. 
When I came into our room only a few 
minutes ago you were preparing to slip 
away.” 

Sally was biting her lips and had lost 
her childish look. 

“This is not a criminal court, Alice; 
neither are you the public prosecutor. As 
a matter of fact, I refuse to answer your 
questions or to gratify either your curiosity 
or the curiosity of the Camp Fire girls. 


A WARNING 


201 


What I have been doing has harmed no 
one ; at least I do not think it has, and I 
have not always been alone. Old Jean has 
been with me much of the time and has 
helped in every way. But by the time 
Tante returns I think I shall be free to 
tell her everything. Can’t you trust me 
until then?” 

Sally’s voice and manner had suddenly 
changed from bravado to pleading, but 
Alice was too angry and too frightened to 
be influenced. Moreover, she was suffer- 
ing from a frequent elderly sister attitude. 
She felt herself called upon not only to 
examine Sally in regard to her proceed- 
ings but to condemn her without any real 
evidence. 

“Very well, Sally, unless you decide to 
confide in me immediately I shall be 
obliged to speak to Aunt Patricia.” 

At the conclusion of this speech Alice 
beheld in her sister’s face the expression 
of sheer unrelenting obstinacy in which 
Sally was an adept. It was a contradic- 
tion to her pretty softness, her indolent 
manner and even to the elusive dimple 
which recently had vanished. 


202 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


“I also warn you, Sally, that I intend 
to watch you and find out your proceed- 
ings for myself. In truth, I am fright- 
ened about you. If only Tante were here 
she could influence you, but Aunt Patricia 
will only become bitterly angry. I con- 
fess I don’t know what she will say or do 
when she learns that I have no choice but 
to tell her.” 

If Alice Ashton had one characteristic 
which predominated over all others, it was 
a fine sense of honor, a high ideal of per- 
sonal integrity. 

As a matter of fact, she had never de- 
manded the same standards from Sally 
she had asked of herself. It was a family 
custom to regard her younger sister as 
a person chiefly to be gratified and adored. 
Yet it had never occurred to Alice that 
Sally could fail in any essential thing such 
as straightforwardness and sincerity. 

“I don’t like to speak to you, Sally, or 
even to suggest the idea, but I am afraid 
a few of the girls may be criticizing what 
you are doing in a fashion you can scarcely 
imagine. They do not speak before me, 
but I can hardly fail to guess what they 


A WARNING 


203 


are thinking from their manner. Sally, 
can’t you realize that we are in a foreign 
country where the language, the customs, 
the ideas are not like ours ? Even if what 
you are doing might not be considered 
wrong at home, can’t you see that here in 
France you may be misunderstood? 
Please confide in me dear. You prom- 
ised ” 

But Sally’s soft shoulders stiffened in 
resistance. 

“ Evidently you do not trust me your- 
self, Alice, and naturally your opinion is 
more important to me than anyone’s else. 
Yet when one has lived with the same peo- 
ple a long time one does expect a certain 
amount of faith and understanding. I 
am sorry, for I cannot tell you what you 
wish to know at present. I may be able to 
in a very few days, if you will be good 
enough to wait and not speak to Aunt 
Patricia. It is hardly worth while to 
make a difficulty between us ! Personally 
I am glad Tante is away; at least, I am 
glad she is away today, since it would have 
been more difficult to refuse my con- 
fidence to her than to any one else. But 


204 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


I shall regret it if I am able to make my 
confession before her return. She at least 
would have tried to believe I have not in- 
tended to do anything wrong. Now please 
leave me alone, Alice. You were right, I 
am going out on an important errand. 
You need not worry over my going alone 
this time, because old Jean has promised 
to go with me as soon as he is free and I 
shall wait for him.” 

Then, although Alice lingered for sev- 
eral moments longer, when Sally would 
neither speak to her, nor look at her, she 
slowly left the room. 

Afterwards when Alice had disappeared 
Sally’s pretence of courage vanished and 
she sat with her hands clasped tightly to- 
gether while the tears ran down her face. 

All very well to pretend to Alice that 
she was convinced she had been doing no 
wrong. But was this true? In the end 
would she not have to pay dearly in the 
continuing condemnation and distrust of 
her friends? When her confession was 
finally made, would they even then under- 
stand and forgive her? 


CHAPTER XVi 


The Discovery 

A LITTLE more than an hour later 
Sally and J ean started forth upon 
their mysterious pilgrimage. 

To have been spared the ordeal of this 
morning’s visit to the French chateau 
Sally would have given a great deal. On 
other occasions she had been nervous and 
fearful, but never to the extent to which 
the recent conversation with her sister 
had reduced her. 

More than once within the hour of wait- 
ing before she and J ean could slip away, 
Sally concluded to abandon her plan and 
never go near the chateau again, regard- 
less of results. Then she remembered that 
she had given her word and that upon this 
visit many things were to be explained and 
arranged. Having endured so much of 
struggle, strain and suspicion, one must 
not fail in the end. And in spite of Sally’s 

( 205 ) 


206 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


apparent indolence and softness, failure 
had no part in her mental make-up. 

Yet in being compelled to spend an hour 
of watching before daring to make her 
escape there was a sense of humiliation, 
almost of degradation. Nevertheless, what 
else could she do except wait until Alice 
was again absorbed in her teaching and 
until there was no one about the farm 
house or in the yard who would pay any 
especial attention to her actions? 

Sally’s final misfortune was in en- 
countering Yvonne as she passed through 
the hall downstairs. 

It may have been her imagination, due 
to her conversation with her sister. Sally 
felt almost convinced that Yvonne shrank 
away from her as she passed, almost as if 
she were drawing her skirts aside. In re- 
turn Sally suffered a wave of indignation 
and the conviction that she would never 
be able to forgive Yvonne. She even had 
an impulse some day to avenge the other 
girl’s injustice. 

She and J ean did not immediately move 
off in the direction of the chateau. She 
and old Jean took an entirely opposite 


THE DISCOVERY 


207 


direction, until in a field about half a mile 
away, altering their course, they walked 
rapidly toward the chateau. Sally never 
ceased to gaze behind them every few 
moments, fearing they might be followed. 

Small wonder that with the unaccus- 
tomed walks and the burden of a serious 
responsibility Sally Ashton had altered in 
the past few weeks ! 

Indeed, her only solace had been the 
loyal faith and allegiance which the old 
French peasant, Jean, had given to her 
cause and to her. 

From the first day, when in halting and 
broken French she had begged him to ac- 
company her to the chateau to assist in 
the care of a wounded soldier, he had not 
asked a question or refused his services. 

When it was impossible for him to 
escape Miss Patricia’s vigilance at the 
hour Sally asked, she always found that 
he had managed to make the trip sometime 
later, during the day or night, and ac- 
complished what was necessary. What 
he may have thought of the situation, what 
questions he may have asked himself be- 
hind the inscrutability of his weather- 



She and Old Jean Took an Entirely Opposite 
Direction. 


( 208 ) 


THE DISCOVERT 


209 


beaten countenance with its misty, coal- 
black eyes, Sally never inquired. There 
were enough problems to meet without 
this. The important fact was that Jean 
never failed her and that he made an 
otherwise impossible task possible. 

After discovering the serious illness of 
the wounded soldier in hiding, Sally Ash- 
ton had continued the amazing task of 
caring for him at the chateau. 

She did not come to this decision imme- 
diately ; indeed, it had grown so slowly that 
at times it did not appear as a decision at 
all. Nor did Sally attempt to justify her- 
self. She felt compelled to take a courage- 
ous attitude with her sister, but she never 
had been convinced of her own patriotism 
or good sense. Even up to the present time 
she was not sure of the nationality of her 
patient, although it had been a relief that 
during his delirium he had spoken occa- 
sionally in French. 

The truth is that as the days passed on 
and Sally’s responsibility increased her at- 
titude toward the soldier changed. At first 
she had been annoyed, bored with the en- 
tire adventure and with the circumstances 


210 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


resulting from it. But as the young man ’s 
illness became more alarming and Sally’s 
anxiety increased, a new characteristic 
awoke in her. Sally Ashton belonged to 
the type of girl who is essentially ma- 
ternal. She would be one of the large 
group of women who love, marry and 
bring up a family and are nearly always 
adored by their husbands, but feel no pas- 
sionate affection until the coming of their 
children. 

So unconsciously the wounded soldier’s 
dependence upon her for food and atten- 
tion, for life itself, aroused Sally’s 
motherly instinct, although she did not 
dream of the fact and would have been 
angry at the suggestion. 

One convincing proof. In the beginning 
she had been both physically and mentally 
repelled by the soiled and blood-stained 
soldier and by his confused confession. 
She had not surrendered him to justice be- 
cause she did not feel called upon to ap- 
pear as the arbiter of any human being’s 
fate and because she had not the dramatic 
instinct of most girls. But Sally had pre- 
sumed the soldier would be arrested later 


THE DISCOVERY 


211 


and was not particularly concerned with 
his future one way or the other. 

Now her point of view had completely 
altered. At first her idea was merely that 
the soldier should recover with no other 
nursing save that which she and old Jean 
could bestow upon him. But now that he 
was recovering, she was equally determ- 
ined he should be saved from whatever 
enemy he had feared before being deliv- 
ered into her hands. 

Before parting on the previous after- 
noon Sally had agreed with her patient 
that they discuss his situation on her next 
visit to the chateau. 

As the old man and girl crept cautiously 
inside the opening between the arch of 
walls, they could see their soldier lying 
asleep upon his mattress, but between 
clean sheets and covered with blankets 
which Sally had managed to secure from 
the supply at the farm. 

The half-dismantled room was cold but 
fragrant with the odors of the woods and 
fields. Perhaps the fresh air which had 
at all times flooded the odd sick-room had 
been in a measure responsible for the ill 


212 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


man’s recovery, having taken the place of 
other comforts he had been obliged to 
forego. 

He opened his eyes at the approach of 
his two friends and looked a little wist- 
fully at Sally. 

“You have come at last! I was afraid 
you would not be able to manage. How 
kind you have been ! ’ ’ 

Sally made no reply except to offer him 
a glass of milk and to stand silently by 
until he had finished drinking it. 

She looked very sweet. Today her walk 
and the excitement of her morning had 
tired her so that she was paler than usual ; 
yet her lips were full and crimson and her 
brown hair had a charming fashion of 
curling in little brown rings on her fore- 
head as if she were a tiny child. 

The soldier no longer wore any look of 
mental confusion except that his expres- 
sion was puzzled and questioning. 

“You are much better. I am glad,” 
Sally said at last. “You see I do not 
know how often I can come to the chateau 
after today, unless you should become very 


THE DISCOVERY 


213 


ill again and then I would come in any 
case.” 

Sally’s direct fashion of speaking had 
its value amid the complexities of human 
relations. 

Old Jean had disappeared to bring fresh 
water and to accomplish other tasks so 
that Sally and the soldier were alone for 
a little time. 

As a matter of fact, Jean’s had been the 
really difficult nursing. Night after night 
when the soldier’s condition had been most 
critical Jean had made no pretence of 
going to bed, but had hobbled over at bed- 
time to remain until dawn by the ill man’s 
side. 

‘ 6 Perhaps you will sit down for a little 
so that I can ask you a great many ques- 
tions,” the soldier suggested. “Now that 
I am getting back my senses, you can 
scarcely imagine what a mystery my pres- 
ent situation is.” 

Nodding agreement, Sally drew a beau- 
tiful French chair across the strange 
drawing-room and seated herself within a 
few feet of her patient’s bed. It was odd 
that she had never felt any fear of the old 


214 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


walls tumbling down upon her from the 
hour she had begun her nursing, although 
before that time she had believed nothing 
could force her to trust herself inside the 
ruins. 

“I would like to ask you to begin at the 
beginning. In what condition and how 
long ago did you find me here ? If I could 
only guess the time ! But I am under the 
impression I have not been myself for 
several weeks until these last few days. 
Yet I have a vague recollection of finding 
my way to this old house and of seeing 
you standing one day framed in that open 
arch. After that I have no memory of 
anything else until I became conscious of 
your face and of old Jean’s bending over 
me and then of this extraordinary place. 
If I have been ill, why have I not been 
cared for in a hospital ? 

“1 remember escaping from the Ger- 
mans who had taken me prisoner and then 
wandering, wandering about in a country 
where there were no trees, no grass, no 
houses, nothing but the upturned earth 
and exploded shells. Afterwards I was 
not sure I had reached the French coun- 


THE DISCOVERY 


215 


try. I know I used to hide in the day time 
and prowl around at night. I think I 
must have become ill soon after my escape, 
because I have an indistinct impression 
that I was trying to find my old home, the 
chateau where I lived before the outbreak 
of the war. I suppose that is one reason 
why I hid myself in here. But nothing I 
can remember explains you.” 

Sally sighed. 

“I do not understand what you are talk- 
ing about, at least not exactly. I am not 
even convinced you do. But if you really 
are a French soldier and managed to 
escape from the Germans, I am glad. I 
know you will think me stupid, but still 
how could I have been expected to under- 
stand that you were a French soldier when 
you seemed so horribly afraid of being 
discovered? You were in your own coun- 
try and among your own people! Per- 
sonally there is very little for me to tell 
about myself. 

“I am an American girl, I don’t sup- 
pose you consider me French, and I am 
living at a farm house not far away with 
some American friends. One day I was 


216 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


taking a walk and just from curiosity 
slipped over here to look more closely at 
the chateau. It frightened me when I dis- 
covered you were hiding in here. You 
can never guess how you startled me ! At 
our first meeting you told me some mixed- 
up story and asked me to bring you some 
food. I thought you were an escaped 
prisoner and I did not want to have any- 
thing to do with you. But you insisted 
if you were caught you would be hung. 
The next day when I arrived with the food 
you were too ill to recognize me. There is 
nothing more to tell.” 

“phat is all,” the soldier repeated. But 
that sounds more like the beginning, does 
it not ¥ You were not even sure of my na- 
tionality and yet you have been coming 
here every day to care for me. Suppose 
I had been your enemy?” 

By this time the soldier was sitting up' 
and intently studying the face of the girl 
before him. He was wearing a faded dark 
blue shirt which Jean had generously be- 
stowed upon him the day before, this 
being the first occasion for which he had 
made an effort to dress himself. 


THE DISCOVERY 


217 


“ Strange human beings, women! I 
wonder if we men will ever understand 
you ? I have no doubt you would blow up 
the united armies of the Central Empires 
if it were possible without a qualm and yet 
you would make any sacrifice to save the 
life of one prisoner.’ ’ 

“But I was never convinced about you,” 
Sally apologized. ” Then after you became 
so seriously ill I never thought. But 
I am sure I beg your pardon. As you are 
a Frenchman of course you would have 
been infinitely better cared for in a hos- 
pital. If anything had happened to you 
it would have been my fault. But really 
I did not know what was done to prison- 
ers who ran away from their captors and 
you suggested such an uncomfortable fate 
for yourself. 

“Now you are better I don’t think I will 
come back to the chateau again. You see 
you made me promise not to tell anyone 
that you were hiding here, and my sister 
and friends think it strange because I have 
been spending so much time away from the 
farm recently. I don’t suppose I shall 
ever be able to make anyone understand. 


218 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


It is hard, isn’t it, to be blamed for things 
and then find they have been of no use? 
J ean will do whatever is necessary for you 
until you are entirely well. He can bring 
me news of you and he will take a message 
to anyone you care to see if you do not feel 
strong enough to be moved to a hospital 
immediately.” 

Sally rose as if she meant to leave at 
once, then something in her companion’s 
expression made her sink down into her 
chair. 

“No, you must not come to see me 
again,” he answered, “although I shall 
wish to see no one else. Perhaps it will not 
be long before I am able to call upon your 
friends if you will allow me. I am 
stronger than you realize; but you have 
not told me what you are doing in this 
neighborhood.” 

Unexpectedly Sally had a remarkable 
sensation. It was as if suddenly her posi- 
tion and the soldier’s changed and as if 
he had begun to think of her welfare 
rather than to have her devote herself to 
his. 

“Oh, we are doing reclamation work,” 


THE DISCOVERY 


219 


Sally returned; “that is, my sister and 
friends are. I have not accomplished any- 
thing that is important. I told you I was 
stupid.” 

All at once Sally’s soldier broke into a 
peal of clear boyish laughter which was of 
more benefit to him than either of them 
appreciated. 

“No, you have done nothing except save 
my life. It is not kind of you under the 
circumstances to announce you consider it 
unimportant. Some day when I am able 
to rejoin my regiment perhaps I may be 
able to prove your work worth while. 
Thanks to you, perhaps I shall again serve 
France as I have never served her before ! 
The enemy has taken from me everything 
else, my mother, my sister, my little 
brother and my home. I made up my 
mind that they should not hold me a 
prisoner whatever might befall me. If I 
had to give up my life I meant to die in 
the open.” 

Then more excited and exhausted than 
either he or S&lly had appreciated, the 
soldier lay down again, closing his eyes. 

It was a part of Sally’s recent training 


220 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


which made her continue sitting quietly 
beside him for the next few moments with- 
out speaking or moving. 

In the interval she studied the soldier’s 
face. 

For the first time he was appearing to 
her as a man. Up until now he had simply 
been a human being who must be cared 
for, allowed to suffer as little as possible 
and at last be restored to health. 

In considering him at present Sally did 
not particularly admire his appearance. 
She thought his nose was rather too large 
and his lips too thin and in spite of Jean’s 
devotion, his services as a barber left a 
good deal to be desired. 

“Your arm is nearly well, still I think 
I should like to bandage it once more be- 
fore I go,” Sally suggested. “You do not 
realize it, of course, but I have learned a 
great deal about nursing since I began to 
look after you. I don’t like sick people, 
else I suppose I could become a Red Cross 
nurse after more training if I wished. But 
I don’t think I should like the work.” 

'As Sally talked she was accomplishing 
[her task, certainly with a good deal more 


THE DISCOVERY 


221 


skill than she had shown several weeks 
before. 

However, her patient was not conscious 
of the fact. At present he was not think- 
ing of his wound but of his nurse. 

There was something about her so 
deliciously frank and ingenuous. At 
least she seemed ingenuous to him, al- 
though it was difficult always to be sure 
concerning Sally. 

When she had finished the young 
Frenchman took one of her hands and 
touched it lightly with his lips. 

“Will you tell me your name, please, 
and where to find you before you say fare- 
well ? I am Lieutenant Robert Fleury of 
the French-cuirassiers . 9 9 

Ten minutes later Sally was walking 
back home alone to the farm house, having 
left Jean to continue to care for their 
patient. 

She was not to go back to the chateau 
again and she was to tell her friends ex- 
actly what had taken place in the past few 
weeks. She seemed to have promised this 
to her patient. 

Yet Sally was not sure when she would 


222 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


tell her story. She had no desire to make 
a confession to Alice, and Aunt Patricia 
was not to be considered. If only she 
might arrange to wait until Mrs. Bur- 
ton’s return from her journey into south- 
ern France. 


CHAPTER XVI 


An Unexpected Shelter 

I T was after the hour for their midday 
dinner when Sally finally arrived at 
the farmhouse ; however, she was able 
to reach her own room without any ques- 
tions being asked concerning her delay. 

Undressing slowly with the idea of 
lying down for a little while before facing 
her friends, Sally was interrupted for the 
second time that day by the unexpected 
appearance of her sister. On this occa- 
sion Alice’s expression made any further 
discussion not only unnecessary but im- 
possible. 

“Will you come with me, please, to 
Aunt Patricia’s room?” she began at 
once. “I have been talking to Aunt Pa- 
tricia and she says it is only fair that we 
should hear your explanation before pass- 
ing judgment. I have spoken to no one 
else, although I suppose it will be impos- 
sible to hide the facts from the other girls. 

( 223 ) 


224 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


In reality, I believe they already have 
guessed a great deal and have been try- 
ing to keep the truth from me.” 

At the moment of her sister’s entrance 
Sally had been slipping into a little blue 
dressing gown which had been her 
mother’s final gift the day before their 
parting. The dressing gown did not have a 
utilitarian appearance, since it was made 
of a soft blue, light woolen material with 
little clusters of yellow roses scattered 
over the design and with blue ribbons and 
lace about the throat and sleeves. 

In response to her sister’s speech Sally 
gathered about her the dressing gown, 
which she had not yet fastened, and im- 
mediately started to leave the room. 

“I shall be very glad indeed to talk to 
Aunt Patricia, but not to you, Alice, nor 
do I ever intend to forgive you. I suppose 
you followed old J ean and me to the cha- 
teau and have drawn your own inference 
from what you observed. Do you know, 
Alice, I have often wondered why the 
puritanical conscience is always so suspi- 
cious of other people?” And in this last 


AN UNEXPECTED SHELTER 225 


speech of Sally’s there was more of truth 
that she could fully appreciate. 

But if in this final analysis she were 
speaking the truth, the first part of her 
remark had been a complete falsehood. 
At the present time there was nothing she 
desired so little as being forced into mak- 
ing her confession to Miss Patricia Lord, 
a severe spinster with no consideration 
for human folly. Would any one else on 
earth be more difficult or more unrelent- 
ing? 

In the past hour or more, following her 
conversation at the chateau, Sally had 
been facing one of the hardest experiences 
of life. 

Her weeks of self-sacrifice and devotion 
had been not only unnecessary, they had 
been absurd. If only she could have en- 
joyed the inward satisfaction of consider- 
ing herself a heroine or a martyr! But 
she had risked her own reputation and the 
young French officers life to what end? 

As the two girls entered Miss Patricia’s 
room, Sally, accompanied by her sister, 
whose existence on earth she refused to 
recognize, considered that Miss Patricia 


226 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


appeared as implacable as a stone image. 
Yet one could scarcely compare her to the 
Sphinx. That ancient stone figure with 
the head of a woman and the body of a 
lioness looks as if she had devoted the 
many centuries since her creation to solv- 
ing the riddles of human life. 

Miss Patricia would consider anything 
but plain speaking a sheer waste of energy 
and truth. There were no riddles in Miss 
Patricia ’s mental category. 

Nevertheless, Miss Patricia’s voice did 
not sound unkind when she suggested that 
Sally occupy the solitary chair in her bed- 
room, although undoubtedly this would 
leave the elderly woman standing as well 
as Alice. But then Sally did not realize 
how appealing her appearance was at this 
moment even to so harsh a critic of human 
nature. 

Sally indolent, Sally dreaming her own 
small and rather selfish dreams, or a 
Sally self-assured and self-content were 
not unfamiliar figures to her world. But 
Sally confused and tired, hurt and be- 
wildered, not by her own actions or any 


AN UNEXPECTED SHELTER 227 


one’s else, but by a web of circumstance, 
was a new study. 

“No, I would prefer not to sit down, 
Miss Patricia, and in any case I would not 
have you stand,” Sally answered, still 
with an innate sense of her own dignity 
and value which at no time in her life was 
she ever wholly to lose. “Alice seems to 
have told you some disagreeable story 
about me. So I think it just as well for 
me to tell you the exact truth. I hope I 
can make you understand. I suppose I 
should have confided in some one before, 
but until a few hours ago I did not feel 
that I had the privilege. 

Sally’s golden brown eyes with the 
heavy upcurling lashes, which gave to her 
face the expression of unusual softness, 
were now gazing upward into Miss Pa- 
tricia’s. The latter’s eyes were gallant 
also and steadfast, nor did Sally find them 
so distrustful as she had anticipated. 

“Very well, my dear, go on with your 
story. I thought Alice was too much ex- 
cited,” Miss Patricia returned, seating 
herself in her upright chair, as Sally 
seemed to prefer her to be seated. 


228 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Then with her little dressing gown wrap- 
ped about her as if it had been a Roman 
toga, Sally told the history of the past 
weeks, her unexpected discovery of the 
wounded soldier amid the ruins of the old 
French chateau, her belief that he was a 
runaway prisoner and notwithstanding 
this, her effort, with Jean’s assistance, to 
restore him to health. 

Sally’s explanation was less confused 
than her conversation with the French 
soldier a short time before. However, 
since that hour many things had become 
clearer in her own mind. She did not 
break down until her story was completed 
and only then when she turned toward her 
sister. 

“I don’t know, Alice, what you and the 
other Camp Fire girls have been thinking 
of me, and I don’t believe I care to guess. 
I know you have not been generous. But 
since I don’t wish to discuss the subject 
with any one save Aunt Patricia, and with 
Tante of course when she returns, I wish 
you would offer the other girls any inter- 
pretation of my behavior you care to 
give.” 


AN UNEXPECTED SHELTER 229 


At this Sally ’s voice broke in spite of 
her efforts at self-control. When Alice 
made a step toward her with her arms out- 
stretched to ask forgiveness, Sally step- 
ped back only to find herself enfolded by 
Miss Patricia and to hear Miss Patricia 
declare : 

“I think it would be wiser, Alice, for 
you to leave Sally and me alone for a little 
time; she is tired and unstrung. If you 
and the other girls have been unfair, you 
will have an opportunity to apologize 
later. Then Sally herself will feel more 
inclined to be reasonable.” 

Afterwards, when Alice had reluctantly 
disappeared, unexpectedly Sally found 
herself seated as if she were a child in 
Aunt Patricia’s lap and listening to a very 
wise and tender conversation, one she was 
never to forget, from a woman of deep 
and broad experience. 

When she grew less disturbed Aunt Pa- 
tricia made no effort not to scold Sally for 
her unwisdom and her lack of reliance 
upon older judgment than her own. But 
the great fact was that Aunt Patricia was 
never unfair, that she had no sentimental 


230 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


suspicions and made no accusations with 
which Sally could not fairly agree. 

In their half hour together Sally Ash- 
ton learned to appreciate for the rest of 
her life Aunt Patricia’s value, learned to 
understand why Mrs. Burton cared for 
her so devotedly and considered her a 
tower of strength in adversity. In this 
uncertain world in which we live there are 
fair weather and foul weather friends. 
Miss Patricia belonged to the number who 
not only fail to strike other people when 
they are down, but who spend all their 
energy and strength in the effort to lift 
them up again. 

Later on the other Camp Fire girls were 
also to form a new estimate of Miss Pa- 
tricia’s character, but simply by force of 
circumstance Sally was the first one of 
them to be admitted inside the stern 
citadel with which the elderly spinster 
surrounded her great heart. 

“In the morning, Sally, when you have 
rested, and if I were you, child, I would 
spend this afternoon in bed, why I intend 
to walk over with you to your chateau and 
make the acquaintance of your soldier. If 


AN UNEXPECTED SHELTER 231 


he is a gentleman my dear, or even if he 
is a real man, I mean to bring him here 
to the farm house to remain as our guest 
until he has completely recovered. Now, 
don’t argue with me, Sally. Mrs. Burton 
will tell you that I am a hopeless old 
woman with whom to have an argument. 
I simply never do any one’s way except 
my own. I do not wish to discuss this 
side of the situation with you to any ex- 
tent, but don’t you see, my dear, that it is 
better for you that we have your soldier 
here ? No one shall think your friends have 
not understood and approved of your care 
of this young Frenchman.” 

Sally murmured her acquiescence and 
her gratitude. Yet suddenly she felt that 
she wished never again to see the young 
officer who for the past few weeks had 
been her constant thought and care. 

He had recovered sufficiently no longer 
to need her services and although he was 
not wilfully responsible, nevertheless he 
had given her a great deal of care and 
trouble. 

“Of course you must do what you think 
best, Aunt Patricia,” Sally added a 


232 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


moment later, as she was preparing to 
start to her own room. “But don’t you 
think we had best wait until Tante’s re- 
turn?” 

Aunt Patricia shook her head. 

“What Polly Burton may think or de- 
sire in the matter will not have the slight- 
est influence with me. She cheerfully sur- 
rendered you girls into my charge in order 
to make this trip, of which she knew I 
thoroughly disapproved. However, in 
spite of the fact that I am very angry with 
her, I do not wish any one else to feel un- 
easy, although I shall not have a happy 
moment until she returns.” 


CHAPTER XVII 


Two Officers 

WEEK later two young officers 



were guests at the farm house on 


the Aisne, one of them an Amer- 
ican aerial lieutenant, the other a lieuten- 
ant in the French cavalry. 

Following his telegram within a few 
days, Lieutenant Ralph Marshall had 
arrived to spend a short furlough, osten- 
sibly with the entire group of American 
Camp Fire girls, although in reality his 
visit was to Peggy Webster. Notwith- 
standing the fact that he and Peggy were 
not supposed to be engaged, chiefly be- 
cause of Peggy’s youth, they shared a 
different conviction from their families. 

The other young officer was none other 
than “ Sally’s soldier.” Absurd as the 
title appeared, particularly to Sally her- 
self, nevertheless under this name he was 
discussed secretly and at length in the 
Camp Fire household. 


( 233 ) 


234 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Toward late afternoon on the day after 
Sally’s enforced confession, accompanied 
only by Old Jean, Miss Patricia Lord had 
tramped across the fields to the French 
chateau and had there interviewed its in- 
mate with a directness and a searchlight 
quality worthy of a public prosecutor. 

As a result she had received more val- 
uable information than Sally Ashton had 
acquired in the hour of their mutual and 
confused avowal. Among other things 
Miss Patricia had learned that the 
wounded officer’s extraordinary outfit was 
due to the fact that he believed it would 
make his escape more feasible. 

But whatever the details of his story, he 
w r as able to inspire Miss Patricia with 
sufficient interest and faith to admit him 
as a temporary guest at the farm house in 
spite of the absence of Mrs. Burton. 

However, although undoubtedly a guest, 
he was a guest according to rules and re- 
strictions laid down and adhered to by 
Miss Patricia and her household. 

In the first place, until he had com- 
pletely recovered he was to remain in his 
room at the farm house, cared for only 


TWO OFFICERS 


235 


by old Jean with occasional visits from 
Miss Patricia. Under no circumstances 
was he to see or meet for the present a 
single one of the Camp Fire girls. This 
rule was particularly to be observed with 
regard to Sally Ashton. 

Miss Patricia made no effort to conceal 
her intention of making a thorough investi- 
gation of the account of his life the French 
officer had imparted to her. She knew it 
would not be so difficult to verify his state- 
ments. It was possible to communicate 
with the commander of his regiment and 
also his friends, as he claimed to have 
lived in the French country not many 
miles away from their neighborhood in 
the valley of the Aisne. After his recovery 
doubtless he would be able to find a num- 
ber of his former acquaintances by return- 
ing to his old home. 

It was in his favor that the French of- 
ficer entirely agreed with Miss Patricia’s 
attitude in every particular save one. But 
he was wise enough not to argue with her 
concerning this. In truth, thirty-six 
hours after his installation at the farm 
house, the young Frenchman and Miss 


236 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Patricia had become surprisingly intimate 
friends. One could explain this by 
stating that the officer had a delightful 
sense of humor and a valuable apprecia- 
tion of character. Miss Patricia an- 
nounced that no friendship could have 
been possible between them if Lieutenant 
Fleury’s mother had not had the good 
sense to have him taught English by an 
English governess when he was a small 
boy. His accent Miss Patricia considered 
as peculiar as her own French one, never- 
theless they were able to understand each 
(other amazingly well. 

One brilliant morning Miss Patricia en- 
tered the French officer’s room bearing a 
cup of bouillon to find him staring out a 
window which he had just opened in order 
to let in the air and for another purpose 
which Miss Patricia instantly suspected. 

“ Breaking parole,” she commented 
tersely. 

The young officer had not heard her en- 
trance. In return he swung round and 
laughed. 

“Is that fair, Miss Lord? A cat may 
look at a king, comme ca why not at a num- 


TWO OFFICERS 


237 


ber of queens? Besides, don’t you realize 
it is a miracle for a French soldier to be 
able to dream that these devastated fields 
of France are soon to become green and 
fruitful again? Having lost everything 
in the early days of the German invasion, 
my family, home, my small fortune, 
nevertheless I rejoice that for other 
French soldiers there may be a happier 
future when they return to their former 
homes, thanks to the great hearts of the 
American people ! ’ 9 

The young officer’s deep feeling and his 
quiet self-contained manner caused a lump 
to rise in Miss Patricia’s throat and a 
mist before her eyes. Therefore her man- 
ner became more belligerent than ever. 

Here, sit down and drink this,” she com- 
manded. “I suppose you consider that 
you have entirely recovered your strength 
and that I am the veriest old termagant 
not to permit you to enjoy your conval- 
escence with a group of more or less 
charming American girls. But as a mat- 
ter of fact I am really protecting you as 
well as the girls. We have lived without 
masculine society, unless you wish to count ( 


238 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


old Jean, ever since our arrival at the 
farm house. So whatever your impres- 
sion, I am afraid you would soon be over- 
powered with attention once I allowed you 
to leave this room.” 

Lieutenant Fleury finished his bouillon 
with a proper degree of gratitude and en- 
thusiasm before replying. 

Afterwards he gazed at Miss Patricia 
for several moments in silence as if care- 
fully considering a number of important 
matters. 

The young French officer was of more 
than medium height, had dark eyes and 
hair, and except when he was talking, his 
expression was grave and sad. His arm 
remained bandaged. 

“Miss Patricia, I do not wish to meet 
all your Camp Fire girls. I agree with 
you I am not strong enough to make my- 
self agreeable to them. But I do wish to 
see one of them again. You are aware 
that I mean Miss Ashton. If ever a man 
had cause to be grateful to a girl ” 

“Nonsense !” Miss Patricia interrupted, 
picking up the empty cup as if she were 
intending to leave the room immediately. 


TWO OFFICERS 


239 


4 6 Sally was a goose and ran the risk of being 
the death of you instead of saving your 
life as you like to think. Besides, she has 
not the slightest desire to see you ; she told 
me this herself. She feels now that she 
was ridiculous. She should never have 
paid any attention to the disjointed tale 
of an ill man, or to the promise which you 
seem to have exacted of the poor child in 
your original interview. As for being 
grateful to Salty, that is also a waste of 
energy when you have none too much to 
spare. The one dream of every girl in 
the world these days is to be allowed the 
privilege of caring for a good-looking sol- 
dier. Salty had her opportunity under 
particularly romantic and nonsensical cir- 
cumstances. Besides, men will always be 
grateful to Salty Ashton for something 
or other as long as she lives, grateful be- 
cause she is pretty and soft and selfish and, 
dear me, I suppose she is what one calls 
essentially feminine! I confess I have 
rather a tender feeling toward the child 
myself.” 

And without further answer to his re- 
quest Miss Patricia hurriedly departed. 


240 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Outdoors at the same time Sally was 
occupied in the garden digging in a 
desultory fashion. As soon as there was 
no further danger of the ground freezing 
the Camp Fire girls were planning to 
plant a garden. 

Sally was alone at her task and alone 
because she preferred solitude. 

After her fantastic escapade had been 
disclosed to the other Camp Fire girls, 
those of them who had been particularly 
annoyed by her mysterious behayior were 
frankly regretful of their condemnation. 
They did not whole-heartedly approve of 
what she had done, but no one doubted 
Sally’s good intention or the unselfishness 
of her motive. Aside from Yvonne, whose 
attitude continued puzzled and distrust- 
ful, each girl individually had approached 
Sally with a carefully veiled apology. 
However, Sally, who was not in a friendly 
state of mind toward the world at present, 
received their advances coldly. 

The only two persons whose opinion she 
really valued were Aunt Patricia’s and 
Mrs. Burton’s. Aunt Patricia had been 
kinder and more understanding than any 


TWO OFFICERS 


241 


human being could have dreamed possible. 
Mrs. Burton had not yet returned from 
her journey into southern France. In- 
deed, no word had been heard from her 
in a number of days, so that not alone did 
Aunt Patricia suffer from; uneasiness. 
The great German drive so long expected 
was fanning the long line of the French 
battlefront into fiercer and more terror- 
izing flames. At any hour the greatest 
struggle in human history would once 
more burst upon the world. 

An hour later Sally Ashton knocked 
shyly upon Lieutenant Fleury’s closed 
door. She did not do this in accordance 
with her own wishes, but because of an 
urgent appeal made by Miss Patricia. 

As a matter of fact, for some days Miss 
Patricia had been haunted by the story 
of his life, since the outbreak of the war, 
which the young French officer had re- 
counted to her. He was not conscious of 
asking for sympathy, nor did he consider 
his story unusual. Nevertheless it occur- 
red to Miss Patricia this morning that she 
was unwilling to add loneliness to the dif- 
ficulties which he must face during the 


242 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


hours of his return to health. Up to the 
present time he had been too engaged with 
his soldiering to allow much opportunity 
for reflection. 

Miss Patricia was also convinced of 
the truth of what Lieutenant Fleury had 
told her of himself, although she had no 
thought of not adding the necessary proof 
to her instinctive conviction. But in the 
meantime if he really earnestly desired to 
see and talk to Sally Ashton and to ex- 
press his gratitude, what possible harm 
could come of allowing them an interview? 
Their acquaintance had been achieved un- 
der such remarkable circumstances, to 
meet in a more ordinary and formal fash- 
ion would doubtless be best for them both. 
Afterwards they would not develop fan- 
tastic and untruthful ideas concerning 
each other. 

At the moment of Sally’s arrival Lieu- 
tenant Fleury was despondent. It was 
true he had managed to escape from the 
Germans and could congratulate himself 
that he was not a prisoner and might hope 
within a reasonable length of time to re- 
turn to his own regiment. Nevertheless 


TWO OFFICERS 


243 


what an extraordinarily stupid adventure 
he had stumbled into in his sub-conscious 
effort to seek the neighborhood of his for- 
mer home ! 

He had come out of the experience a 
thousand times better than he had any 
right to hope, yet had he not involved an 
American girl in what must have been an 
extremely disagreeable and ungrateful 
task? 

At this moment of her entrance into the 
invalid’s room Sally Ashton did not ap- 
pear to have been seriously affected by her 
experience. 

Her hour of working in the garden in 
the warm late winter sun had given her 
cheeks the color they frequently lacked, or 
else it was her embarrassment at meeting 
the young officer. Sally’s hair was also 
curling in the delicious and irresponsible 
fashion it often assumed, breaking into 
small rings on her forehead and at the 
back of her neck in the fashion of which 
she at least pretended to disapprove. 

“Miss Patricia said you wished to speak 
to me. I am glad you are so much better, ’ ’ 
she began in a reserved and ceremonious 


244 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


fashion as if she and the lieutenant had 
met on but one previous occasion before 
today. 

In truth it seemed impossible to Sally 
that the French officer whom she was 
facing at present had been the ill and dis- 
heveled boy she had found in hiding at the 
chateau and nursed back to compara- 
tive health. 

In announcing that Sally did not desire 
to see the young French officer again, Miss 
Patricia had been correct. Sally consid- 
ered that she had made a grave and foolish 
mistake and preferred, as most of us do, 
that her mistake be ignored and forgotten. 

Yet Lieutenant Fleury had no idea 
either of ignoring or forgetting Sally’s 
effort in his behalf. 

Immediately in reply to her knock he 
had risen. His serious expression had now 
changed to one of boyish gratitude and 
good humor. 

“Yes, I did wish to speak to you; you 
are kind to have come,” he returned, al- 
though in reality surprised by Sally’s ex- 
tremely youthful appearance. He had 
only a confused memory of her face bend- 


TWO OFFICERS 


245 


in g above him during his delirium. They 
had enjoyed but one conversation when 
he was entirely himself. On that occasion 
he had supposed his rescuer a young 
woman of some years and dignity, and 
Sally at present looked like a school girl. 
Indeed, she was a school girl when at 
home in her own part of the world if one 
can count college and school as one and the 
same thing. 

After coming in from the garden this 
morning she had hastily changed her 
everyday Camp Fire dress for a white 
flannel of which she was especially fond, 
and without observing that the skirt had 
shrunk until it was extremely short. 

“ I wished to tell you once again how 
more than grateful I am to you for your 
great kindness/ * the officer continued, 
smiling in spite of his serious state of 
mind at the unexpectedness of Sally’s ap- 
pearance. Looking at her now, it was 
hard to believe that she had ever assumed 
the arduous burden of nursing a wounded 
soldier under more than trying condi- 
tions. Yet if Sally had not been imma- 


246 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


ture, she would have never have shoul- 
dered such a responsibility ! 

She was smiling now and dimpling in 
an irresistible fashion. 

4 ‘Will you make me a promise ¥” she 
demanded. “It is the one thing I ask of 
you. If you are really under the impres- 
sion that I was good to you when I was 
merely risking your life, then promise 
never to refer to what I did for you as 
long as you live and never mention the 
story to anybody who could have the faint- 
est chance of knowing me. You see,” 
Sally continued, her manner becoming 
more confidential, “I realize now that 
from every point of view I was foolish. 
It is kind of you to have turned out to be 
some one whom Miss Patricia and all of 
us are able to know, for you might have 
been a most impossible person.” 

The young French officer laughed. As 
he recalled their last meeting and this one 
his benefactress struck him as a person; 
who had the gift of provoking laughter. 

“I think this a good deal to require of 
me,” he returned. “I will do what you 
ask only on condition that you ” 


TWO OFFICERS 


247 


“That I promise to allow you to do a 
favor for me some day ? 9 9 Sally completed 
the unfinished sentence. “I suppose that 
is what you were about to say, wasn’t it? 
Of course you can do whatever kindness 
you like if you have the chance. But it 
does not seem probable. After you go 
away from the farm I can’t imagine any 
reason why we should ever see each other 
again. Besides, you would do whatever 
you could for me whether I gave you per- 
mission or not.” Here Sally smiled a 
second time. 

For an instant the French officer stared, 
nonplussed. 

But he was not the first person whom 
Sally had puzzled. She was so matter of 
fact and so sure of herself one could not 
tell whether she was extremely simple or 
correspondingly subtle. 

Since her companion regarded her as a 
child, he could have but one impression. 

When finally he held out his hand, Sally 
hesitated an instant before placing her 
own inside his. His exhibition of French 
courtesy and gratitude at their last meet- 
ing had been slightly embarrassing. But 


248 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


this time the lieutenant only held her hand 
gravely. 

“You are right, Miss Ashton, whatever 
was possible to show my gratitude to you 
I should do, with or without your permis- 
sion. If I am spared when the war is over 
I may even create the opportunity which 
you seem to doubt my ever having. When 
the war began I had a sister who was, I 
think,, perhaps only a few years older than 
you. If you can ever make up your mind 
to regard me as she would have done, it 
would mean a great real to me.” 

Sally was beginning to feel bored. She 
thought her companion was very conven- 
tional and a little stupid. 

She had not the faintest desire to adopt 
an -unknown young man as a brother. 
Sally knew herself sufficiently well to real- 
ize that the sisterly attitude would make 
but little appeal to her as long as she lived. 
And she hoped that her interview with the 
rescued officer might be entertaining. Life 
was dull now at the farm with Mrs. Burton 
away and her own occupation, which had 
been exciting even if fatiguing, with- 
drawn. 


TWO OFFICERS 


249 


“What happened to your sister ?” Sally 
inquired politely, although intending to 
make her escape as soon as possible 
should their conversation continue on such 
sentimental lines. 

“She was killed in the retreat when the 
Germans conquered this part of France 
at the outbreak of the war. I had gone to 
the front to join my regiment, so Yvonne 
and my mother were alone except for my 
little brother and a few women servants. 
Our chateau was destroyed.’ ’ 

The French officer paused because Sally 
was looking at him with a curious expres- 
sion as if an idea which she may have had 
in her mind for some time was now slowly 
crystalizing into a fact. 

“Your sister’s name was Yvonne Fleury 
and your chateau was not far from here, 
was it not?” Sally demanded. 

The young officer nodded. He did not 
care to discuss his past history with Sally 
or with any one else in the world. There 
was nothing to be gained by recalling the 
inevitable tragedies of the war. 

Sally did not appear seriously dis- 
tressed. Unless she happened to be an 


250 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


actual witness to suffering it did not touch 
her deeply. Besides, at the present time 
she was smiling oddly, as if she were 
pleased and displeased at the same time. 

“I don’t think that you need adopt me 
as your sister,” she remarked. 

Until this moment they had both con- 
tinued standing. 

Now Sally made a little motion toward 
the invalid’s chair which Miss Patricia 
had removed from their sitting-room to 
bestow upon her patient. 

“ Suppose we both sit down,” she sug- 
gested, taking the only other chair at the 
same instant. 

“ There is something else I wish to 
talk to you about if you feel you are 
strong enough to hear. It may prove 
to be good news. I suppose it seems a 
strange coincidence, although some people 
would call it an act of Providence, but I 
am sure I don ’t understand such 
things. It is just barely possible your 
sister Yvonne Fleury was not killed. 
When we were crossing to France 
from the United States we met a girl on 
shipboard named Yvonne Fleury, whose 


TWO OFFICERS 


251 ] 


home, the Chateau Yvonne, had been de- 
stroyed in the early part of the war. As 
she believed her brother had been killed at 
the front, she had gone to New York City, 
where she had been living with some 
friends for several years. She told the 
entire family tragedy to our chaperon, 
Mrs. Burton, who afterwards told the 
story to us, hoping we might be especially 
kind to Yvonne because of her unhappi- 
ness. The other girls have been, but 
Yvonne and I do not like each other and 
she has been very disagreeable to me. 
Still, if she turns out to be your sister, 
it does not matter. Under the circum- 
stances I suppose I ought to say nothing 
against her. 

“I have been thinking of this for some 
time, ever since you told me your name, 
but of course there may be nothing in it. 
I only thought if you might like to meet 
this Yvonne Fleury— you see she came 
here to the farm and is living with us— 
I will speak first to Aunt Patricia and to- 
gether you can decide.” 

In reality Sally was not so unsympathe- 
tic or so childish as at present her words 


252 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


and manner suggested. During her long 
speech she had been watching the young 
officer narrowly. She had arrived at her 
present conclusion by putting certain 
facts together in a practical and common- 
sense fashion. There was more than a 
possibility that she might be wrong, so 
there was no reason for working oneself 
up into a state of hysteria or of heroics. 
Moreover, Sally had been entirely frank. 
She understood that the French officer 
would be overjoyed if Yvonne should 
prove to be his sister, but Sally herself 
would have felt no enthusiasm over the 
same discovery. As a matter of fact, she 
had no particular interest in Yvonne’s 
opportunity for happiness through her 
aid. 

She was worried, however, because her 
former patient suddenly appeared so 
white and shaken by her words, when only 
a few moments before he had looked so 
remarkably well. 

Sally moved slowly backwards toward 
the door. 

“I’ll go and find Aunt Patricia; per- 
haps I should have spoken to her first of 


TWO OFFICERS 


253 


my idea. Then after you have talked with 
her if you would like me to find Yvonne 

and ask her to come to you ” 

With these words, having managed to 
reach the half closed door, Sally disap- 
peared. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


The Expected Happens 

M ISS PATRICIA LORD was on 
her way to the French village 
only a few miles from their farm 
house. Unless the call were urgent, rarely 
did Miss Patricia bestow her activities 
outside the environments of the farm, 
which of course included the house, gar- 
den, barns, fields, really a sufficient large 
sphere of activity even for her. 

It is true she had been an extremely 
practical benefactress to the entire neigh- 
borhood, yet her gifts had been made 
largely through other persons ; Mrs. Bur- 
ton or one of the Camp Fire girls report- 
ing a special need among their neighbors, 
as promptly as possible Miss Patricia had 
seen that need supplied. 

So, as she took her walk on this summer 
afternoon, had she liked she might have 
given a good deal of credit to herself for 
the change in the appearance of the coun- 

( 254 ) 


THE EXPECTED HAPPENS 255 


tryside which the past two months had 
wrought. 

A number of the peasants’ huts near the 
road had been either entirely or partly 
rebuilt. But more important than the 
actual physical shelter, Miss Patricia’s 
tractor had plowed its way over many 
acres which otherwise must have remained 
unproductive until, as far as the eye could 
see, the fields were now being made ready 
for planting. Even if German guns were 
thundering along the battle line, neverthe- 
less behind that line the French peasants 
toiled on with their patience and their 
eternal industry. 

Today Miss Patricia was thinking of 
life’s contrasts, of the peaceful scenes 
through which she was passing which only 
a few years before had been an altar of 
the world’s carnage and which might soon 
be so sacrificed again. 

For it would seem as if the last gigantic 
struggle of the present war were now 
about to take place. Surely humanity 
would never pass through this universal 
Calvary again ! 


256 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


Not yet had Mrs. Burton returned from 
her journey into southern France! 

A few days before, a letter stating that, 
having accomplished a portion of their 
mission, she, Mrs. Bishop and Monsieur 
Duval were preparing to start on their 
homeward way, had arrived for Miss Pa- 
tricia, although the letter had been de- 
layed for a week. 

A more important witness of their mis- 
sion had been the actual return to the 
French village of a number of the refugees 
in whose welfare Mrs. Burton had been 
especially interested. Among them was 
the French girl, Elise. 

At this moment Miss Patricia was in- 
tending to pay a call to offer her congratu- 
lations to Elise and her grandmother and 
also to learn if Elise had seen Mrs. Bur- 
ton or heard any definite information con- 
cerning her. The visit was not one to 
which she looked forward with pleas- 
ure, but was due to the fact that Mrs. 
Burton had asked it of her as a favor. 
Miss Patricia’s use of the French tongue 
was so impossible that all conversation be- 
tween her and her French neighbors was 


THE EXPECTED HAPPENS 257 


an agony. Moreover, her unconsciously 
fierce manner seemed always to disconcert 
the courteous peasants. 

Nevertheless, the old men and women 
and children whom she met on the road 
into the village and later upon the village 
streets bowed to her with more than ordin- 
ary friendliness. If they could not com- 
prehend her words or her manner, the 
value of her kindness they could under- 
stand. 

A child ran out of one of the houses and 
unexpectedly presented Miss Patricia 
with a little battered image of St. Joseph, 
and although St. Joseph is one of the 
patron saints of marriage, Miss Patricia 
accepted her gift with warm appreciation. 

An hour later, when she received the 
first intimation of what had occurred, 
Miss Patricia was standing in the little 
yard in front of their hut with Grand ’- 
mere and Elise. 

There was no restraint about Grand - 
mere’s conversation now that her grand- 
daughter was restored to her; indeed, she 
was pouring forth such a flood of rapid 
Speech that Miss Patricia had the sensa- 


258 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


tion of drowning in a sea of words of 
which she could understand about one in 
fifty. 

Nevertheless, it was pleasant to glance 
now and then toward Elise, who was as 
charmingly pretty as her neighbors and 
friends had described her. From her 
weeks of enforced imprisonment and 
something nearly approaching starvation, 
the young French girl was thin and hag- 
gard. Yet as nothing more terrible had 
happened, she was too rejoiced over her 
return not to show delight and gratitude in 
every expression of her vivid face. More- 
over, after being allowed to cross the bor- 
derland from Germany into France, she 
really had a meeting of a few moments 
w r ith Mrs. Burton, who had given her the 
money and the information necessary for 
her homecoming. 

At the moment when one of Elise ’s 
friends ran into the yard from an unex- 
pected direction, Miss Patricia’s first sen- 
sation was that of relief. At least she 
could enjoy a short respite from her posi- 
tion of exclusive audience to Grand ’mere. 
The woman appeared so excited and so full 


THE EXPECTED HAPPENS 259 


of some story she undoubtedly had come 
to tell, that immediately she became the 
center of attention. Moreover, a dozen 
other persons soon followed her until in 
a few seconds the little yard was crowded 
with gesticulating figures. 

Miss Patricia was about to withdraw 
when a single word arrested her atten- 
tion. The word was of course pronounced 
in French fashion, yet in the past few 
weeks Aunt Patricia had learned to recog- 
nize its peculiar French intonation. The 
word was Mrs. Burton’s name. 

Through guessing, through intuition 
and also through the united efforts of her 
new friends, soon after Miss Patricia 
learned as much of the woman’s tale as it 
was desirable for her to hear at the pres- 
ent time. 

This story had spread through the vil- 
lage. A French ambulance bearing the 
sign of the croix de rouge had just driven 
through the town en route to the farm 
house on the Aisne, the present home of 
the Camp Fire girls. Returning from her 
work in southern France, Mrs. Burton had 
been injured and rather than be cared for 


260 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


in a hospital had begged to be brought 
directly to the farm. 

As a matter of fact, Miss Patricia ar- 
rived at the farm house exactly two min- 
utes before the Red Cross ambulance drew 
up before the front door. How she man- 
aged this one could only discover from 
Miss Patricia. The village owned a single 
motor car used in transporting supplies 
and Miss Patricia saw that it traveled 
faster on this occasion than ever before in 
its history. 

Besides, Mrs. Burton, who was so 
swathed in bandages one could scarcely 
recognize her, the ambulance contained 
Monsieur Duval, the French senator, Mrs. 
Bishop and a Red Cross nurse. 

Ignoring them all, Aunt Patricia lifted 
Mrs. Burton in her arms and carried her 
upstairs to her room, placing her upon the 
bed. 

An hour later, when the farm house had 
grown strangely quiet and everybody had 
been sent outdoors except the nurse and a 
doctor who had been hastily summoned, 
Aunt Patricia stalked down the steps into 
the drawing-room. Here she found Mon- 


THE EXPECTED HAPPENS 261 


sieur Duval and Mrs. Bishop waiting to 
explain the situation to her. 

They had been motoring toward home 
and several miles back of the French line, 
when without any reason for such a 
catastrophe, a shell had dropped from a 
German aeroplane and exploded near 
their car. 

Aside from Mrs. Burton, no member of 
the party had been hurt, but a piece of the 
shell had imbedded itself inside her chest 
and was supposed to be too near her lungs 
for an operation. 

“Do you mean that Polly Burton has a 
chance to live without an operation?” 
Miss Patricia demanded in grim tones 
when her two companions had finished 
their unsatisfying explanation of what 
had taken place. 

Mrs. Bishop shook her head. 

“I am afraid not; that is why we took 
the risk of bringing her home to you when 
she wished so much to come.” 

“Is there a chance for her to recover 
through an operation?” Miss Patricia 
next asked without a perceptible change 
either in her expression or manner. 


262 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


This time, as Mrs. Bishop appeared un- 
able to speak, Monsieur Duval answered 
instead. 

“ There is one in a hundred, hut we 
dared not accept the responsibility with- 
out first coming to you. ” 

4 ‘ Then telegraph at once for the best 
surgeon in Paris who can be spared and 
also for Captain Richard Burton. I will 
give you his address. In the meantime, if 
■you can find hospitality elsewhere than at 
our farm I shall be grateful. We shall 
have but little opportunity to make 
visitors comfortable for the next few 
days.” 

With this Miss Patricia withdrew. 


CHAPTER XIX 


The Field of Honor 

S OME little time afterwards, late on 
a March afternoon, the yard in front 
of the farm house on the Aisne, 
chosen by the Camp Fire girls for their 
temporary home in France, was occupied 
by a number of persons. They had sep- 
arated into groups and were either walk- 
ing about the place or else were seated in 
informal attitudes. 

On the wooden steps leading directly 
down from the house two girls moved 
aside to allow a woman and a man to pass 
them. 

The woman was Miss Patricia, who ap- 
peared taller and more painfully gaunt 
than ever, and moreover, was laying down 
the law upon some subject in her usual 
didatic fashion. Yet the man whose arm, 
was slipped through hers was regarding 
her with devoted and amused affection. 
According to Captain Richard Burton and 

( 263 ) 


264 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


in the opinion of a number of other per- 
sons, Miss Patricia’s good sense and devo- 
tion in the past few weeks had saved his 
wife’s life. 

Miss Patricia was discussing with him 
the question of increasing the number of 
cows upon the farm until a dairy could 
be run upon really scientific principles. 
She desired a dairy sufficiently large to 
supply milk to the nearby hospitals as 
well as to the babies in the villages. IJp to 
the present time she had been largely in- 
terested in preserving the health of the 
young children who came within her 
sphere of effort. But realizing that milk 
at present was one of the greatest needs 
in France for the proper feeding of the 
w r ounded soldiers and of the convalescents, 
Miss Patricia was arranging for the ship- 
ment of a herd of a hundred cows from the 
United States. As a matter of fact, she 
was supposed to be asking Captain Bur- 
ton’s advice upon the subject, though Miss 
Patricia’s method of asking advice was 
merely to announce what she intended 
doing. 

After watching the two older persons 


THE FIELD OF HONOR 265 


disappear toward the barn, which had 
been restored until it presented a very 
comfortable aspect, Peggy Webster 
glanced up from her knitting to look earn- 
estly at her companion. 

“How long do you intend remaining in 
France to continue with the reconstruc- 
tion work, Yera ¥” she inquired. 

Vera Lagerloff was sewing upon a dress 
for one of the children in the neighborhood, 
since few of them had clothing enough to 
keep them warm and comfortable in spite 
of all that was being done for them in the 
reclamation districts by an increasing 
force of American women and girls. 

Vera’s eyes followed the direction Miss 
Patricia’s tall figure had just taken. 

“I intend to stay on indefinitely until 
the war is over and afterwards if I feel I 
can be of more use here than anywhere 
else. A few days ago Miss Patricia told 
me that she would be very glad to pay my 
expenses, as she believed I was ‘a laborer 
worthy of my hire. ’ What an extraordin- 
ary woman she is and how much she seems 
to get out of life, if not for herself, then 
Certainly for other people ! I shall never 


266 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


forget our first meeting and the way in 
which she then took hold of the situation. 
I think none of us will forget her recent 
devotion to Mrs. Burton. Any one of us 
would have been willing to do what she 
did, only no one would have had the cour- 
age or the intelligence.” 

Peggy nodded. “I have written 
mother pretty much the same thing you 
have just said. Certainly no one of our 
family can ever pay our debt to Aunt Pa- 
tricia. Not that I should dare make the 
attempt!” Peggy added, smiling and look- 
ing a little anxiously at the sock she was 
about to finish. “But I wonder if I am 
envious of you, Vera, I mean of your plan- 
ning to remain over here so long ? Mother 
and father have writen they would like me 
to come home as soon as I feel I am not 
especially needed and Tante has entirely 
recovered. They wish her to return as 
well, but I am by no means sure she will. 
There are moments of course when I am 
homesick and feel it my duty to be with 
my own people, now that Billy is gone and 
Dan has at last been permitted to volun- 
teer. Then on the other hand, I naturally 


THE FIELD OF HONOR 267 


want to be in France while Ralph is here 
fighting. Have I told you that after 
Ralph’s visit to us at the farm my family 
has consented to our engagement. We 
have promised not to consider marrying 
until the war is over. I am not speaking 
of this to any of the other Camp Fire girls, 
Vera, only to you and Bettina. But I 
shall always think of you, even if the 
future should separate us for a long time, 
as if you were almost my sister. I sup- 
pose if Billy had lived you would have 
been my sister.’ ’ 

In response Vera shook her head with 
its heavy mass of dark hair. 

“I don’t know, Peggy. I am not at all 
sure. I don’t believe Billy’s friendship 
and mine were like that. Perhaps when 
he grew older he would have wished to 
marry a prettier and more romantic girl, 
but always he would have come back to 
me for criticism and praise. Yet I should 
never have wished to marry any one else 
and now I shall never marry any one.” 

As there is no real answer to a speech 
of this character, Peggy Webster made no 
reply. What Vera’s future held in store 


268 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


for her was, according to an ancient pagan 
expression, ‘ ‘in the lap of the gods.” 

But Peggy wrinkled her brows at this 
moment, making a little motion with he* 
hand to attract Vera’s attention to the fig- 
ure of a girl who was standing alone about 
a dozen yards beyond them. 

“ Sally looks pretty, does she not, with 
her dark hair and white dress? But of 
course nothing would induce her to confess 
that there is any especial reason why she 
wishes to look particularly attractive this 
afternoon. She is a funny child,” Peggy 
concluded with the superior manner of an 
engaged person. 

This afternoon the Camp Fire girls 
were enjoying a half holiday and the un- 
usual celebration of afternoon tea in 
honor of Mrs. Burton’s recovery and also 
the arrival of the two guests whom they 
were now waiting out of doors to greet. 

Almost immediately after the reunion 
of Yvonne Fleury and her brother they 
left the farm together, returning to the 
neighborhood of their own chateau. Mrs. 
Burton’s dangerous condition had made 
them feel it wiser to add no more responsi- 


THE FIELD OF HONOR 269 


bility to the household. They also desired 
to look up the old friends whom they 
might be able to find still living near their 
former home. 

Until this afternoon neither one of them 
had returned to the farm house even for 
a brief visit, although of course many let- 
ters had been exchanged between Yvonne 
and the other girls. Now Mary Gilchrist 
had motored over to the nearest railroad 
station to meet them and Yvonne and her 
brother, Lieutenant Fleury, were expected 
at any moment. 

Ten minutes later, when the motor con- 
taining the two guests finally arrived, 
Sally Ashton was the only one of the 
group of friends who did not go forward 
to welcome the newcomers. 

She did not believe that she particularly 
liked either of them and there would be 
time enough to do her duty later. 

As a matter of fact, Sally was about to 
slip around the side of the house toward 
the kitchen to assist in the preparation of 
their simple tea when Lieutenant Fleury 
followed her and as he called her by name 
she felt obliged to stop and speak to him. 


270 THE FIELD OF HONOR 


He looked extremely well as if he had 
entirely recovered from his illness and 
was better looking than Sally would have 
dreamed possible. 

“You do not seem enthusiastic about 
seeing me again ?” Lieutenant Fleury be- 
gan, smiling at Sally. 

“I am very glad to find you so well , 7 9 
Sally announced as she shook hands. It 
was difficult to confuse Sally. She had a 
great deal of poise of her own kind and 
a little superior air of detachment which 
was oddly amusing. 

“Yes, I am very well, thanks to you. 
Still I insist upon knowing why you are 
not pleased to see me? I remember you 
snubbed me for suggesting that we might 
develop a sisterly and brotherly affection 
for each other, but now I have discovered 
Yvonne, won’t you be friends ? It is hard 
upon me if you refuse to consent because 
my burden of gratitude to you must then 
be all the heavier. I am going back to join 
my regiment in a few days. Today I also 
came to warn Miss Lord and Captain Bur- 
ton that there will be danger later this 
spring if you insist upon remaining here 


THE FIELD OF HONOR 271 


at your farm house. I cannot speak 
plainly, but I have reason to believe the 
Herman drive will not be long delayed. 
The Allied line will hold ; they shall never 
break through, yet it might be wiser if you 
were out of the range of any possible 
danger.” 

Without discussion of the question and 
disregarding the delightful possibility of 
tea, Sally and Lieutenant Fleury were 
walking side by side away from the farm 
house yard and toward the old chateau. 

“You -are very kind, Lieutenant 
Fleury,” Sally answered, speaking more 
gravely and with less childishness than 
one might have imagined, “but I do not 
believe we will consent to leave our farm 
house and to give up our work unless the 
war comes almost to our very door. Even 
then you know food might be useful to the 
soldiers and I ami an extremely good 
cook.” 

Sally’s seriousness had disappeared and 
she was more her accustomed self. 

“Yet you have not answered my ques- 
tion or promised to be my friend,” Lieu- 
tenant Fleury argued, looking at his com- 


272 THE' FIELD OF HONOR 


panion with an amused frown. Undoubt- 
edly it was difficult to understand any 
human being who could be such a complete 
child at one moment and so wise the next ; 
but perhaps Sally embodied the Biblical 
idea that true wisdom is only found among 
childish spirits. 

As a matter of fact, Sally answered 
simply, “Why, of course I am your friend, 
Lieutenant Fleury. Now when I am be- 
ginning to understand more of what sol- 
diers must endure, I feel as if I were a 
friend to every man in our allied armies, 
although they probably are not aware of 
the honor,” and again Sally dimpled in 
irresistible fashion. 

Moreover, with this general acceptance 
of his friendship, Lieutenant Fleury was 
obliged to appear content, since Sally 
would give him no more satisfactory reply. 

A few weeks later the long-heralded 
German drive burst with renewed fury 
along a long line in France. How the 
group of American Camp Fire girls met 
the unexpected dangers and demands 
upon their courage and resources will be 
the subject of the next Camp Fire book. 




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